Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:02 pm on 10 January 2018.
Well, Llywydd, crashing out of the European Union on a no-deal basis would be a disaster for the Welsh economy and for Welsh public services. I don't think we can say that often or loud enough. Any voices at the other end of the M4 that continue to argue that a no-deal Brexit will be good for the United Kingdom really are simply trapped by their ideological view of the world and take no account at all of the evidence that is provided to the UK Government day in, day out, not by the Welsh Government only, but by the Confederation of British Industry, by the confederation of employers, by the directors' association. The evidence of the need for an orderly exit from the European Union, and one that we believe keeps us as close as we can to the single market in a customs union, allowing Welsh businesses and Welsh jobs to be protected—that's the sort of Brexit that we urge the UK Government to pursue.
What we do, and it is a very difficult job, in the way that Mick Antoniw has outlined—we try to align ourselves with and to strengthen the hand of those voices in the UK Government that are prepared to argue for a form of leaving the European Union that puts the need of our economy first. It's sometimes difficult to hear those voices amongst the din of other conflicting views within the Government itself, but our job has to be to put forward the case, which we know is solid and secure, for the sort of Brexit that is necessary for Wales, and to try to get that case heard by those elements within the UK Government that have a more considered approach to leaving the European Union.