Monday 19 September 2016

What does FM Carwyn Jones think he's there for?

There can be no doubt that Wales is divided over Brexit

  • You may have voted to Leave and believe Brexit means Brexit.
  • You may have voted to Leave  but did so in the hope that we could get a better deal with the EU,
  • You may have voted Leave and regret and want another referendum.
  • You may have voted Remain but accept Brexit means Brexit.
  • You may have voted Remain but still hope that there could be a secon referendum,
  • You may have voted Remain and but hope some kind of deal could still be made with the EU in that we can still have some connection from the EU.

Whatever one of the above (or another scenario) unless you believe Wales is merely an appendage of England  surely you will be disappointed with Laissez-Faire response of our First Minister.

During a trip to Chicago last week, Mr Jones did appear to give the impression he might at least try and work for Wales's future  over Brexit
He said  talks would fail if it "becomes a two-way dialogue between Brussels and London".
He said all four of the UK's parliaments and assemblies should have to "agree to any deal the UK government comes to".
Mr Jones said he could not "envisage consent being given by Wales" unless access to the European Union's single market and protection for the rights of citizens from other EU countries were secured.
But speaking to the BBC's Sunday Politics Wales programme, Mr Jones said he "never called for a veto".
He said: 
"What I have said is that I think it's right that all four parliaments should ratify, agree to any deal the UK government comes to.
"It wouldn't be right for the UK government to negotiate in terms of farming and fisheries when they have no role in farming and fisheries in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
"If the UK government want to get as much support as possible across the UK for any potential deal, they're going to have to seek support in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well."
From this statement it appears that the Welsh First Minister seems to think his role is to sir on the sidelines shaking on head saying "I wouldn't do it that way".

What does Carwyn think his job is for.



  • Merely to handle and distribute the  pocket Money from Westminster
  • Ensure that Labour at least are in control of the Assembly 
  • And that that is all important.
  • Preserving the Union by the Welsh electorate don't ever get the sense  of power that has existed in Scotland.

It does not seen however that he does see his role in fighting for Wales and its people and seeing our Interest are not lost in a wave of English British Nationalism which we are left behind and we are not sidelined being considered to be only West Britons and that we should know our place as poor West Britons.

Brexit seems inevitable but there is no reason that for or against the people of Wales should not have a voice in how it is carried out and our Interests protected.

In order for that to happen we need a First Minister to more than speak for Wales but to take action as well.


We will not have an election to elect Leanne Wood and a Plaid Government to do this so ,

Is there anyone among Labour's Welsh Assembly members prepared to step up and take on the sort of role a Welsh First Minister should be undertaking?



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whatever Leave voters in Wales thought they were voting for, the result is being interpreted by Scots, English, Irish and most European countries as a vote for English nationalism and perhaps that’s what the majority want to continue because I hate pointing out as a welsh nationalist that Wales has been an appendage of England for centuries.

And why does anyone in Plaid Cymru keep expecting Labour to do what’s best for Wales when their track record for decades shows the exact opposite. If we do end up solely as an England and Wales entity, then Plaid Cymru will share part of the responsibility.

It was telling in the Q&A after Carwyn’s Chicago speech that two questions were about Irish politics, but we shouldn’t be surprise Wales is of no interest to an American audience or that a Welsh Labour First Minister answered question about another country because he does it all the time about the UK.

Plaid Cymru are trying to put ideas out there, but with no power they are coming across as complainers and moaner – Wales is in even bigger trouble after Brexit all any of us can do is try and make the best of the deal that the UK government strike it will cost jobs, investment and impoverish communities even more and make the last 35 years look like a golden age.

Leigh Richards said...

I think anon makes some good points, and his/her observations about what the welsh brexit vote says about wales is especially pertinent ie wales being an appendage of england. My problem with the criticisms carwyn jones is getting over this is im not sure exactly what carwyn jones (or whoever was wales first minister) could do about the brexit negotiations.

The Assembly has no powers to alter or block brexit.Furtermore whether we like it or not the fact wales voted for brexit means the leavers can can legitimately claim they are representing wales 'interests' in brexit negotiations.

The vote in wales on june 23rd wasnt only a disaster because of the likely economic repercussions for wales - it also has serious ramifications for prospects of further welsh self government. We can only hope that once the full disastrous impact of brexit is felt in wales - coupled with the prospect of likely permanent hard right government at westminister - support for independence for wales will begin to mirror what has been occuring in scotland in recent years.

What was especially disappointing about the result in wales on june 23rd is that areas like the south wales valleys seem to have forgotten what right wing tory governments did to those areas in the 80s.