‘Don’t leave Wales with a puppet parliament’ – Leanne Wood tells PM
PLAID Cymru leader Leanne Wood has today called on Theresa May not to leave Wales with a “puppet parliament” whose strings are pulled by Westminster as a result of Brexit.
Ms Wood said it was “farcical” to claim the Assembly is a “fully-fledged parliament” when its counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland have much greater powers.
Plaid is pushing for the UK Government to introduce legislation to give AMs control of areas including energy, policing and broadcasting.
Ms Wood said: “Last week proved revealing in telling us how the UK Government intends to approach the issue of more powers for Wales over the coming years. As she triggered Article 50, the Prime Minister noted her expectation that the devolved administrations will receive signifi-
cant new powers as a result of Brexit.
“However, the following day the UK Government announced its intention to deny Wales control over its own railway network. On top of this, the Secretary of State for Wales’s claim that our nation now has a ‘fully-fledged parliament’ is nothing short of farcical.
“Scotland and Northern Ireland’s democratic institutions are far more empowered than Wales’, meaning that people in those nations have greater control over their lives and the decisions which affect them. That is why, if the Prime Minister is to stay true to her word on more powers, we will need a fresh Wales Bill in order to secure parity between all nations of the United Kingdom.”
The Plaid leader warned: “Failure to do so will leave Wales with a puppet parliament in which Westminster still pulls the strings in key areas such as energy, policing and broadcasting. The process of leaving the European Union poses a threat to Wales as a political entity in its own right.
“Now is the time to redouble efforts to ensure that our nation’s affairs are governed by those who live here.”
Meanwhile, Plaid AM Steffan Lewis accused the UK Government of committing “an act of constitutional aggression” and planning to claw back powers from Wales using the Great Repeal Bill, which is intended to put EU law onto the UK statute book in time for Brexit.
A key question is whether powers today held by Brussels covering areas of devolved responsibility such as agriculture will be transferred directly to the Assembly or held by Westminster while a new “framework” for how the UK will operate outside the EU is established.
Plaid’s Mr Lewis wants a UK Council of Ministers to agree frameworks between each of the nations. He is calling for a “Welsh EU Continuity Bill” to enshrine European legislation in Welsh law.
He said: “The Great Repeal Bill represents an act of constitutional aggression on the part of the UK government... The EU single market frameworks are not reserved to the UK Government.
“EU legislation relating to matters devolved to Wales are just that – they are not in the UK government’s gift to consult with the National Assembly, they are within our responsibility. That is why we need a UK Council of Ministers to agree EU frameworks between all the nations.
“The Secretary of State for Wales would do well to remember that the UK Government is only sovereign in England when it comes to devolved matters.
“Their jurisdiction ends at Offa’s Dyke and they better back off.
“Wales must now act decisively and proactively.
“We need a Welsh EU Continuity Bill without delay to enshrine in Welsh law key EU legislation which has benefited key industries and protected hard-fought rights and should continue to do so.”
Brecon and Radnorshire Conservative MP Chris Davies did not back the Plaid calls.
He said: “Plaid Cymru will not stop until they see an independent Wales.
“There isn’t an appetite for an independent Wales around the principality and I think Leanne Wood should stop carping and just support Brexit, support the Great Repeal Bill and let’s get the best for Wales and for Britain.”
The Wales Office declined to comment.