Carwyn accuses Tories of ‘naked grab for power’

CARWYN Jones joined forces with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday to accuse the UK Government of staging a “naked power-grab” as it unveiled its landmark Brexit legislation.

The pair condemned the UK Government’s Repeal Bill and described it as an “attack on the founding principles of devolution”, warning it could destabilise the economies of each nation.

They claimed the Bill would impose new restrictions on the Assembly and the Scottish Parliament and said that they cannot recommend AMs and MSPs give the legislation their consent.

The Bill is intended to take the UK out of the European Union and put existing EU laws on the British statute book so the country is not confronted with a legal vacuum the day after Brexit.

However, the scene is now set for epic political battles – not just between the UK and devolved governments but in the Commons, where Opposition MPs will attempt to make changes.

Labour wants the European Charter of Fundamental Rights incorporated into EU law, although the Bill rules this out.

Jeremy Corbyn’s party also wants guarantees for workers’ rights.

There is also concern that ministers could gain the power to make changes to regulations without an automatic requirement for the approval of MPs.

Labour MP Wes Streeting said: “The British people did not vote to take away powers from their elected representatives in our sovereign Parliament to give back control to ministers in Whitehall. Yet the Repeal Bill grants the Government extraordinarily broad powers to make big changes to our laws, including after we have left the EU, at the stroke of a ministerial pen.

“This is undemocratic, unaccountable and simply wrong.”

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns defended the legislation, saying: “The Bill will convert existing EU law into UK domestic law, maintaining the same standards, same rules, same regulations, same measures and the same obligations on the day after exit as the day before.

“Most importantly, it will deliver on our promise to end the supremacy of European Union law in the UK so that our future laws will be made in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast.”

Ukip Wales turned its guns on the Welsh Labour leader, claiming Mr Jones’ concerns were “total nonsense” and that “the Bill guarantees the repatriation of EU powers to the Assembly which are within its legislative competencies.”

However, Plaid Cymru Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts said: “This Bill is a deliberate attempt to tighten London’s grip on Wales, masked as a constitutional necessity. It will ensure that Westminster will once again be able to legislate in domestic Welsh fields devolved to the Welsh Government.”

The Welsh Liberal Democrats’ Baroness Christine Humphreys also gave a scathing account of the legislation, saying: “This is a cold and calculated attempt to undermine the people of Wales, giving ministers in Whitehall powers to overturn decisions made by our own elected government.”

First Minister and Bridgend AM Mr Jones insisted he was not trying to stop Brexit, which was backed by a majority of Wales’ voters last year.

He said: “This is not about trying to prevent, undermine or complicate Brexit – it is about resisting an attempt to recentralise power back to Westminster and Whitehall, to turn the clock back to a time before devolution when the Government in London could foist inappropriate policies on Wales and Scotland without the consent of Welsh or Scottish voters.

“The Tory Government has no mandate for this, least of all from voters in Wales.”