right on merger or takeover. The last Welsh bank notes were withdrawn from circulation in 1908 by the North and South Wales Bank, when it was taken over by the Midland Bank. After that Wales could only use notes issued by the Bank of England. Only seven banks still retain the rights to print their own notes, all of which are in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Lenders that print these notes must hold assets that are equivalent to the amount of notes they have in circulation. Plaid Cymru has said that Wales should be given back the powers to create its own bank notes, in order to give the nation equal status with Scotland and Northern Ireland. Jonathan Edwards (Welsh politician), the party’s Treasury spokesman, said that Wales had been: “denied an opportunity to be treated as an equal nation within the UK”. He said that the issuance of Welsh banknotes “would put us on equal footing with the other nations”. The proposal would see a new private bank granted the power to issue its own notes for the first time in more than 170 years. Speaking to the Financial Times, he said: “The issuing of Welsh bank notes, I believe, would come as a much welcomed boost to Wales’ national character, her recognition as an equal nation and as an economic entity” External links J D Wetherspoon The North and South Wales Bank, Wrexham References Defunct banks of Wales Companies based in Liverpool