4. What is the Welsh Government’s policy on implementing the decision made in the EU referendum? OAQ53800

As the First Minister explained to you yesterday, we published in 'Securing Wales' Future' a clear policy that recognised the results of the referendum by setting out a blueprint for our future relationship with the European Union, which protects the interests of Wales consistent with being outside the European Union.

He did indeed, but 'Securing Wales' Future' doesn't say anything about having a second referendum. Indeed, it says that you respect the result of the referendum. It's only since then that you have changed your policy. I just wonder whether the Minister and his party may have overreached themselves. We are seeing election materials going around from Labour describing the party as the biggest 'remain' party to stop Brexit. A Labour MEP who's standing, Paul Brannen, said yesterday Labour has stopped Brexit happening three times so far. Is that the basis on which Labour are appealing for support in two weeks' time?

I would say that the broader narrative about people not respecting the referendum is part of a very troubling and damaging broader narrative of betrayal. I would just say to the Member, it doesn't reflect well on any of us in this place to be feeding that narrative. We are in a time when the role of politicians is not to stoke that up; it is to recognise what we have failed to recognise and led to the 2016 referendum, which is these judgments are difficult judgments and they have real consequences in the lives of individuals. There are politicians in this place and in Westminster wrestling with how to reconcile the referendum of 2016 with a set of relationships with the European Union that do least damage to the people of Wales and the UK, and I'd encourage him to participate in that debate rather than to seek to score political points.