UK Government must rethink Withdrawal Bill

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have urged the UK Government to rethink their EU Withdrawal Bill ahead of the Legislative Consent Motion in the Senedd later.

The Senedd is expected to vote to withhold its consent to the EU Withdrawal Bill, meaning all three devolved legislatures will have rejected the bill.

Despite this, the UK Government has stated it plans to pursue the bill as it stands anyway.

In the House of Lords, Liberal Democrat Lords have successfully defeated the government on amendments on EU citizens rights.

Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said:

Today Kirsty Williams will vote against the UK Government’s deeply flawed EU Withdrawal Bill in the Senedd. The UK Government has had several opportunities to work with the devolved governments to draw up proposals that maintain a close relationship with the EU and could begin to bring the UK together.

It is therefore deeply disappointing that the Prime Minister has categorically rejected this approach, instead deciding to push ahead with his extreme Brexit plans. Plans which leave us open to a hugely damaging no-deal scenario in just 11 months’ time.

What is worse, he plans to ignore the will of all three devolved assemblies by pushing ahead with this bill regardless of whether they or not give their consent. This sets a dangerous precedent and would show just how little the Conservatives care about our Parliament.

They need to respect the will of Wales’ Parliament and should think long and hard before they play games with the constitutional settlement of the United Kingdom for short term political gain.

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