Adam Price: Yes, certainly.
Adam Price: Well, I think we've been very clear and consistent about this. I understand the spirit in which he’s making the point, but where else can we actually have that debate about the future of the Parliament than in the Parliament itself? I’m afraid I’m not going to apologise for that. This is the forum where we can have that discussion. Now, it can be done on a non-partisan basis, and I...
Adam Price: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I think we have had a considered and useful debate. And that is what you get in parliaments when a motion is tabled. There is a range of views. We have seen, if truth be told, some common ground emerging in some of the contributions, and some fundamental differences of opinion, and I make no apologies at all for tabling this motion, because it is important...
Adam Price: Well, it was in our manifesto in terms of increasing the number of Members, and therefore you cannot blame us for the fact that you haven't reflected the position. [Interruption.] Where have you been? The chief whip has just—[Interruption.] The chief whip of your own Government has just said—[Interruption.] If I may finish the sentence, Mick. The chief whip has just said that she had...
Adam Price: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, on 6 December 2017, you made a written statement on project bank accounts, designed to prevent smaller subcontractors losing money when larger firms go bust. You said, 'From 1 January 2018, project bank accounts will be used, unless there is a compelling reason not to do so, on all conventionally-funded construction and infrastructure contracts...fully or...
Adam Price: The answer is none of them. None of them. It's actually your own Government that responded to a freedom of information request yesterday. None of those 32 projects have actually used project bank accounts, despite what you've promised. That's a lot of compelling reasons, it must be. Failure to deliver on commitments like that doesn't just hurt your reputation, First Minister, or that of your...
Adam Price: That isn't what you're doing. I mean, your housing Minister actually gave a speech at Shelter, where she said that you're not ending them completely and you didn't want the perfect to be the end of the good. Why didn't you say that at your conference? Now, the biggest promise, I guess, we make as public representatives is not to waste public money. Your Government has spent £9 million on a...
Adam Price: There are elements in the statement on the legislative programme that the First Minister delivered this afternoon that are to be welcomed. We’ve already declared our support for the principle of embracing the social partnership model that will be attached to the Bill that the First Minister has referred to. We also welcome the move towards reregulation of the bus sector. We agree with the...
Adam Price: Thank you very much, Llywydd, and I'd like to thank you for agreeing to the call from the First Minister for a recall of this Assembly. It follows a similar motion from us earlier in the summer, because we had anticipated at that point the thoughtless course being followed by Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. It's certainly a critical period for us as a nation, and it is appropriate that our...
Adam Price: We see a Government in Westminster at the moment that is intent on trying not only to leave the European Union without a deal in the most reckless manner possible, but willing to carry out their threats to use any means to do so whatsoever, including—the main focus for us today, of course—the suspension of Parliament, but also, as we've seen—we've heard reference to some of the legal...
Adam Price: Look, now is your opportunity to show that clear green water, if you like. There's a motion that you'll be voting in favour of, or against, this afternoon. Take that opportunity to declare your own independence, if that is what you wish to do. Now, I think the amendments that we have tabled are in the spirit of trying to create unity across this Chamber. They are certainly not an attempt to...
Adam Price: The 2017 election, which is referred to, was a year after the referendum. In that election, 54 per cent of the voters across the UK voted for political parties who expressly, explicitly ruled out a 'no deal' Brexit in their manifestos. So, the clear mandate from the people is against a 'no deal' Brexit.
Adam Price: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, which do you think represents a brighter future for Wales: Brexit or independence?
Adam Price: As we saw over the summer, from Caernarfon to Merthyr, thousands are on the march in Wales, and on independence the tide is turning. And, you know, you risk, First Minister, being overtaken by events as history is accelerating. It’s happened, of course, on more than one occasion against the backdrop of Brexit. Over the summer you still said in one of your first ministerial videos that you...
Adam Price: There are 44 days now, of course, until Boris Johnson tries to force through a ‘no deal’ Brexit. Now, our clear preference, to prevent this from happening, would be to hold a people’s vote before an election, but if we have a general election instead, it will become the people’s vote by proxy, with a Tory 'no deal' on the ballot paper. Now, if this does happen, then it seems vitally...
Adam Price: Will the First Minister make a statement following the Supreme Court judgement that the prorogation of the UK Parliament was unlawful? (EAQ0006)
Adam Price: First Minister, this judgment by the Supreme Court is a hugely important issue, stating that the UK Government had behaved unlawfully. Lying to the people, lying to Parliament, lying to the Queen is a trinity of grave constitutional crimes. What's totally clear is that the UK Prime Minister had closed the doors of Parliament with the relish of the dictator that he is, and I'm very pleased...
Adam Price: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. With a salary range of up to nearly £60,000, the Welsh Government has recently advertised the post of child poverty review lead. Can the First Minister explain what's the key task mentioned at the top of the job description?
Adam Price: The job description reads as follows: the first task of the successful applicant will be to develop a better understanding of what is happening in the lives of children living in poverty. Now, I say this with the greatest of respect, but after 20 years of devolution, surely your Government should know the answer to that question. A third of our children—over 200,000—live in poverty,...
Adam Price: I remember when the last Labour Government in Westminster appointed a poverty tsar nine years actually after coming into Government, and I said to them what I say to you now: 'Where have you been?' quite frankly. The Scottish Government has adopted binding statutory targets to reduce child poverty. It's fast tracking its delivery plan to commit to a £10 a week per child payment for families...
