9. United Kingdom Independence Party Debate: The European Union

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:35 pm on 27 March 2019.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 5:35, 27 March 2019

I condemn all sorts. I condemn it without qualification. But I also say to the Member for Clwyd West that the language he uses—. In his own contribution this afternoon, he's talked about an out-of-touch political establishment and used the word 'betrayal'. Now, that, to me, is not the hallmark of a democrat who recognises and values points of view with which they disagree.

Let me say this: clearly, I believe that our sovereignty is enhanced by membership of the European Union and not diminished. I have confidence in the United Kingdom, I have confidence in the people of Britain and the people of Wales. I believe that we have the ability to shape the world around us. I believe that we have the ability to influence the world around us. When a UK Minister goes to New York to speak at the United Nations, I don't believe that in some way we're being undermined as a country or a people or a culture; I believe that what we're doing is participating in world affairs and I'm proud that we do it.

When I attended meetings of the Council of Ministers to represent Wales, whether it was agriculture, whether it was fisheries, whether it was general affairs councils, I didn't believe for one moment—and it didn't happen—that we were being told what to do; that we were being given our instructions. We joined together with our closest friends and neighbours in order to do the best thing for all of our peoples. And what we did there was to change the way that international diplomacy and international affairs have been conducted on the continent of Europe, but elsewhere in the world. We've demonstrated that a continent can rise from the ashes and slaughter of war to build something different, to build something for the future.

When we were in Brussels a few weeks ago, speaking to the New Zealand ambassador there, he was talking about how they wanted to export some of their values through the world—he talked about sustainability. That is what the European Union has done; it has done it across the world and it has done it here as well. I believe that the debate over Brexit has done as much damage to our democracy as the expenses scandal did a decade ago. It has undermined trust in people, it has undermined trust in the institutions and it has undermined trust in the process. And that has largely been done by those people who've used the sort of language that I believe is unacceptable. I read a tweet from Mark Reckless the other week. It said:

'We won, you lost. If you block Brexit and democracy you will reap what you sow.'