Wednesday 21 December 2016

Wales must follow Scotland into the single market.

It is  indicative of the whole farce of the UK Government handling of the whole Brexit farce that  the first concrete proposals have come not from them  nor the official opposition in   Westminster but from the SNP Government in Scotland
Nicola Sturgeon has published detailed proposals to keep Scotland in the European single market, stating they are a "serious and genuine attempt" to "unify the country around a clear plan".
The options outlined in the paper - Scotland's Place in Europe - represent a "significant compromise" on the part of the Scottish Government, the First Minister said.

"I hope and expect that the UK Government in considering these proposals will demonstrate the same flexibility and willingness to compromise," "We are determined to maintain Scotland's current position in the European single market," sThe Scottish Government has firstly proposed the UK as a whole should stay in the single market by remaining "a party to the European Economic Area agreement" and staying in the customs union.
A so-called "soft-Brexit" deal is "entirely democratically justifiable", Ms Sturgeon said, although she conceded it seems an "unlikely outcome".
The paper also outlines ways in which Scotland could stay in the single market - through the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Economic Area (EEA) - even if the rest of the UK chooses to leave.
Ms Sturgeon insisted this option did not prioritise membership of the single market over continued free trade across the UK, but would "safeguard both" and would not require a hard border.
Although the Blog Left Foot forward argue that

Whatever the SNP’s views might be, this would inevitably lead to a harder border between Scotland and the rest of the UK to prevent those allowed in Scotland under free movement entering the UK.
The borders with Scotland would represent the point at which different standards for goods would be felt and seen. Ministers at Holyrood also propose that the Scottish government be given the power to negotiate international agreements.
If this was to be the case then  surely it would also apply to a hard border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland. Which we  are currently told will not happen.

And what of Wales 

We voted  for Brexit but does that hands are tied?
A majority of people in Wales say keeping free access to the Single European Market is more important to them than restricting the right of people from EU countries to work in the UK,  according to research conducted for WalesOnline by Beaufort Research shows a distinct preference for the kind of “soft Brexit” 
The Wasting Mule when reporting this claims that it is what is preferred by First Minister Carwyn Jones but rejected by some Conservative Ministers and the likes of Ukip.
But in September  Labour AMs joined with the Conservatives in rejecting a Plaid Cymru motion in favour of Single Market membership, and supported an alternative Tory amendment which advocated only access instead.
The final motion supported by the Labour group also called for clarity on the Labour Government’s position on freedom of movement after the First Minister dropped his previous support for the policy.
So while Scotland makes a play for its place in Europe and the rest of the World in which it could end up in the single market and see English and Welsh Jobs moving there, We have a government  who will not consider a Welsh approach to Brexit .
Yes we voted for it  but does that mean we accept the Tories and Westminster approach and a hard Brexit.
Scotland has show us an alternative route will Carwyn at least consider if we could follow?
Indeed if ever there was a case to show that the Welsh Assembly is relevant then it is now.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A fully thought out proposal from the SNP government and what have we got from London? David Davis a week ago telling the HoC that "the Government's plans will only be published when they are ready".
We had the vote in the first place because of division in the Tory party and now we are getting no plan because of the division in the cabinet.