D-day for Brexit withdrawal Bill
BRITAIN is heading into a new chapter in the Brexit saga with members of the National Assembly and the Scottish Parliament today due to vote on whether to give the UK Government the green light to proceed with its flagship Brexit legislation.
Theresa May will face the dilemma of how to proceed if, as expected, the Scottish Parliament refuses to grant consent to the legislation.
Jeremy Corbyn has given his backing to Scottish Labour to vote against the EU Withdrawal Bill.
In contrast, a majority of AMs are expected to consent in the wake of a deal agreed last month between the Welsh and UK governments.
First Minister Carwyn Jones and Nicola Sturgeon had condemned the original legislation as a “naked power grab” but the Welsh Government dropped its opposition when it secured a series of changes and commitments.
Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood made a last ditch plea for Welsh Labour AMs to join Scottish counterparts and refuse consent.
She said: “The Scottish Government has succeeded in building a consensus that the EU Withdrawal Bill will damage Scotland’s economy, communities and environment. In contrast, Wales’ Labour Government is willing to bow down to the Tories in Westminster and support their power grab that will interfere with our democracy.
“And for what? What have they got for Wales in return for caving in? Nothing.
“By uniting to refuse consent for the damaging EU Withdrawal Bill, our
Assembly could send a strong message to the Tory UK Government that Wales will put up a fight and defend itself when its powers are threatened and people undermined. As things stand, Labour in London and in Scotland object to this Tory power grab, but Labour in Wales happily sign up to it.”
Scottish Labour Brexit spokesman Neil Findlay confirmed his group’s opposition, stating: “As the party that delivered devolution Labour will always seek to defend and strengthen it... The Tories’ shambolic handling of this key area for Scotland is pushing the case towards the Supreme Court.
“The people of Scotland want this mess fixed and even at this late stage there is still time to do that.”
But former Counsel General and Pontypridd Labour AM Mick Antoniw defended the deal agreed after months of talks.
Arguments had focused on the future of powers in devolved areas such as agriculture which today are held by Brussels. He said the deal enhanced the principle Westminster will not pass laws affecting the Assembly without its consent.
Making the case that it was in Wales’ interests to come to an agreement, he said: “Do we have any real benefit from a major constitutional crisis? I don’t think we do...
“It is certainly not a sell-out. It is certainly not a capitulation.
“It is certainly not a white flag. Those who say that can only say so because they have only one agenda and that is a separatist agenda.”
Mr Antoniw said he did not think there was ever any likelihood that the SNP would grant consent to the legislation.
He said: “I don’t think this is anything to do with whether the deal could work or not. There are different politics in Scotland and there’s a different agenda... I think it is actually quite disappointing Plaid Cymru [just] seems to be subservient to the SNP in Scotland.”
A Welsh Conservative spokesman expressed strong support for the deal.
He said: “The agreement that has been reached by the UK and Welsh Governments is proof of what can be achieved when politicians engage constructively and work in the national interest – rather than the party interest. If the Assembly votes to pass the [Legislative Consent Motion], it will provide legal certainty to all sides, whilst increasing the powers of the devolved parliaments and respecting the devolved settlement. Above all, it allows us to move forward to the agreement of UK frameworks in certain key areas, to protect the integrity of the UK internal market.
“Communities and businesses want their politicians to work constructively together to ensure we deliver the best possible Brexit deal for Wales and the United Kingdom.”
The Scottish Parliament does not have the power to veto the legislation but there could be uproar if Westminster exercises parliamentary sovereignty to legislate in the face of such emphatic opposition to the Bill.
A cross-party group of AMs has just completed its scrutiny of the legislation in the wake of the changes agreed with the Welsh Government.
Labour Aberavon AM David Rees said that while the question of “the future control of powers currently passed to Brussels is certainly far less precarious than it was” last year there were still areas of concern.
He said: “As originally drafted, the Bill would have given the UK Government sweeping powers over areas of policy that have been devolved to Wales for 20 years but which have been exercised under the purview of the EU. The committee can see that considerable progress has been made and we accept that negotiations require give and take on all sides, with compromise being reached to deliver an agreeable settlement.
“However, the committee’s objectives have not been met in full and we remain particularly concerned that the Assembly’s ability to pass laws in devolved policy areas such agriculture could be constrained by the UK Parliament, even in circumstances where the Assembly has refused consent for such constraints to be imposed.”