PLAID Cymru's Treasury spokesperson Jonathan Edwards has welcomed today's announcement that income tax powers will be devolved to Wales without a referendum.

Chancellor George Osborne confirmed the move in his Comprehensive Spending Review at the House of Commons this afternoon.

Mr Edwards, MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, hailed the announcement as a victory for his party, which was the first to propose such a move.

Mr Edwards said: "This is welcome news and a significant victory for Plaid Cymru.

"For several years, we have argued that the principle of fiscal autonomy has already been conceded by the devolution of minor taxes.

"This means that a referendum would have been a complete waste of time and resources, and we are pleased that the UK Government has finally seen sense on this matter.”

However, he was not fully satisfied with the spending review and in a tweet shortly after the announcement, Mr Edwards said the job "was only half done” with additional fiscal powers granted to Scotland and Northern Ireland withheld from Wales.

"Plaid Cymru believes that income tax powers alone are not enough. We want to see Wales being offered the same financial and fiscal powers as the other nations of the UK,” he said.

"Scotland has been granted full income tax powers with no referendum while Northern Ireland is set to receive corporation tax powers. Wales is not a second class nation and there is no reason why Westminster shouldn't be offering us the same deal.

"Only then will the Welsh Government have the tools necessary to make decisions and changes that will work in the best interests of the Welsh economy, not the Treasury in Westminster."