7. Statement by the Counsel General and Brexit Minister: Brexit Update

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:26 pm on 17 September 2019.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 5:26, 17 September 2019

Okay. For a man so expensively educated, he certainly hasn't learned to do his homework. That last point: it’s a matter of fact that the Court of Session is a senior court, and it is not hearing this judicial review as a first instance, and I would have thought that he would have known that.

He claims to know the mind of the business community as though it was of one mind and he has some direct access to it. We know from our contact with people across Wales, businesses across Wales, how terrified they are of the levels of uncertainty that Brexit and the prospect of a 'no deal' Brexit are causing. That is why we've been so focused on giving all the support that we're able to give.

I think it is absolutely cavalier of him to talk about the UK not paying the sums it owes to the European Union. Even on his view of the world—which I don't share in any respect—it must surely be the case that any government seeking to negotiate international treaties and international obligations with other partners must be able to point to its good word and its honesty and its integrity when it comes to paying sums it has already agreed to pay. And I think the UK Government imperils that reputation very significantly if it seeks to evade those payments.

He asks about our policy. Let me be absolutely clear: we could not be more categorical in the Welsh Labour Party that our position is that people should have an opportunity to have their say and that we will campaign for remain. I hope that we can persuade our colleagues in Parliament to commit to remain in all those circumstances, but let’s be absolutely clear that that is our commitment. We've made that repeatedly here in the Chamber. Actually, the case is, in 2016, people were made a set of promises that have fallen apart. And while he talks about respecting the referendum result, it's about time people started respecting the promises made to people in 2016.