Another Third Rate Minister after Carwyn?

The UK and Welsh governments have reached an  "agreement" over a long-running Brexit "power-grab" row, which is little more than a surrender by our "Third Rate Minister".

As the BBC explains

The row centred on what would happen after the UK's withdrawal from the European Union to 64 powers in devolved areas, such as agriculture support and food labelling.
The powers are currently operated by EU officials in Brussels.
As part of its EU (Withdrawal) Bill - which plans to transfer EU laws into UK law in order to avoid a legal "black hole" post-Brexit - the UK government had initially proposed that those powers should transfer to directly to Westminster rather than to the devolved administrations.
It led Welsh and Scottish ministers to label the proposed law a "naked power-grab".

Wales' Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford  and front runner to gain the title of Third Rate Minister said the deal means powers in areas "currently devolved remain devolved". 


He said: 

“This is a deal we can work with which has required compromise on both sides. Our aim throughout these talks has been to protect devolution and make sure laws and policy in areas which are currently devolved remain devolved and this we have achieved.
“We have always recognised the need for UK-wide frameworks where the EU rule book will no longer apply. The original draft Bill meant powers already devolved would have been clawed back by the UK Government post-Brexit and only Ministers in London would have had the right to decide if and when they were passed back to the devolved parliaments.
“This was totally unacceptable and went against the will of the people of Wales who voted for devolution in two referendums. We are now in a different place. London has changed its position so that all powers and policy areas rest in Cardiff , unless specified to be temporarily held by the UK Government.
“These will be areas where we all agree common, UK-wide rules are needed for a functioning UK internal market. London’s willingness to listen to our concerns and enter serious negotiations has been welcome.
“In a devolved UK the respective governments need to deal with each other as equals and this agreement is a step in the right direction. This approach must now continue as we prepare for leaving the EU and the next phase of talks with Brussels.”

..... “Make no mistake; the Welsh Government will continue to make sure Wales’ voice is heard loud and clear so we can secure a Brexit that protects devolution, jobs and our economy.”

If this is what we can expect from Mr Drakeford  if he does replace Carwyn Jones then we who seek further powers for Wales  are going to be very disapointed. very disappointed  

Plaid leader Ms Wood said: 

“By capitulating to Westminster on the EU Withdrawal Bill, the Labour Government is selling Wales down the river. This is a bare-faced Westminster power grab which undermines the will of the people of Wales who voted for more powers in two referendums.
“By doing a backroom deal with the Tories in the UK Government, Labour Welsh ministers are yet again reminding us of Labour’s belief that Westminster is superior to Wales. While Labour capitulates, Plaid Cymru will keep challenging this Westminster power grab and protecting Welsh democracy every step of the way.”

Michael Russell, the SNP minister who represented the Scottish Government in the talks, told MSPs:

 “It would be an outrage if the UK Government decided to use what the people of Scotland did not vote for – Brexit – to undermine what we did vote for: devolution. The UK Government has no mandate to undermine the powers of this Parliament and therefore the Scottish Government will do everything we can to protect the devolution settlement people voted for so overwhelmingly more than 20 years ago.”
He said in a statement: “[The] UK Government’s latest proposals continue to give Westminster the power to prevent the Scottish Parliament from passing laws in certain devolved policy areas and while we expect the amendments to include the addition of a sunset clause the restrictions on our use of these powers would last for up to seven years. While any constraint placed on the UK Government will be purely voluntary.
“The effect of the UK Government’s latest proposal remains this: the Scottish Parliament’s powers could be restricted without consent. This is not something the Scottish Government could recommend the Parliament approves.
“There are two possible ways forward. The first is to simply remove clause 11 from the Bill.
“Both the Scottish and UK Governments could then agree, on equal terms, not to bring forward legislation in devolved policy areas while negotiations on frameworks are taking place.
“Alternatively, we could agree to abide by the present system. In that system any regulations preventing the Scottish Parliament from legislating in devolved matters for a temporary period of time must only be introduced when that is agreed by the Scottish Parliament.
“These are practical, workable solutions to this issue that will ensure the necessary preparations for Brexit can be taken across the UK whilst protecting devolution.”

However in Cardiff Bay seems to have surrendered  already , and we can seriously doubt that another Assembly Labour government will ever seek to regain them in 7 or even 70 whoever is in No 10.

Mind you if there are any Labour AMs who are prepared to put the interest of Wales first, then now is the opportunity to resign from Carwyn's  Cabinet and stand for the leadership on opposing this grubby deal and calling for parity with Scotland.

I doubt he or dhe would win, but maybe gain enough votes may wake that party up.