3. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance: JMC (EU Negotiations) Meeting, 22 February 2018

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:34 pm on 27 February 2018.

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Photo of Mick Antoniw Mick Antoniw Labour 3:34, 27 February 2018

Cabinet Secretary, I welcome very much your statement and the tabling, or the proposed tabling, of what we'll call for now the continuity Bill—a very important step forward. I also listened to David Lidington's speech. I have to say that I was somewhat confused by some of the messages that were coming out of that, particularly with regard to what seemed to be an attempt to create distance between Wales and Scotland, and the sort of implied threat in respect of overriding Sewel that seemed to be there. Nevertheless, I think we have to recognise that this has been the most tortuous process, almost like extracting teeth, dragging the UK Government kicking and screaming to accept the reality of the UK constitution. And it seems almost as if David Lidington is almost like the substitute brought on at the end of a soccer match, doesn't it, in an attempt to salvage something from the game.

I think the point that Steffan Lewis made is probably the most important one, and that is whether there is a genuine change in attitude capable of being detected. Because it seems to me that there's still a grave risk that although we can win in this area, or we can achieve satisfactory progress in this area, there are still a number of major elephants in the room, to take John Morris's old phrase. Firstly, the issue of JMC reform. Now, I know we'll be discussing the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee report tomorrow on that, but that is a fundamental area that has to still be resolved, and where there's need for a change in attitude from UK Government. The second one is in terms of the financial autonomy of this place, in respect of those former EU funds. Because, on the one hand, we can achieve what we want in respect of the devolved powers, but at the end of the day, if there is control over the finance that should be coming to this place, they can be undermined—and secondly, as we know, in respect of the consequential legislation that's under way at the moment, in particular with regard to the trade Bill. Now, I understand why the Cabinet Secretary will be reluctant to take on too many battles at any one time, but these matters are all interlinked, and what we don't want is a situation where we are just going from one battle to the other onwards; there has to be genuine cultural and political change from the UK Government in order to achieve the consensus that is necessary for the post-Brexit era.