WELSH Assembly members will vote next month on whether there should be a referendum on further powers.
First Minister Carwyn Jones refused to say whether the vote would kick-start the process towards an autumn poll, but he did say the vote on February 9 would definitely “move the process forward.”
The Conservatives have said they would not “stand in the way” of a request from the Assembly for a referendum.
The leader of the Conservatives in the Assembly, Nick Bourne, has indicated that most, if not all, Tory AMs would vote in favour of a referendum poll, following a debate in the Senedd on February 9.
Mr Bourne said that although his AMs would be given a free vote, they were all likely to vote in favour of the motion to trigger a referendum.
He reiterated his party’s position that there was “no way” the Conservatives at Westminster would block a referendum – whether or not they win the forthcoming general election.
The Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams confirmed her party fully supported an autumn referendum.