Plaid.Welsh Government proposals could be blueprint for Westminster .

Whether  you agree First Minister Carwyn Jones and Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood's  proposals for Brexit with a push to keep the UK trading in the single market by taking a new approach to freedom of movement it is an interesting one

Prime Minister Theresa May has argued that staying in the single market would mean “not leaving the EU at all” because countries have to accept the free movement of people.



The Welsh Government white paper launched by the pair makes the case for a new approach where there is a direct link between free movement and employment could be the first white paper launched by a government and the official opposition.

According to the Plaid website

The joint White Paper will subsequently form the Welsh negotiating position at JMC-EN.

Our key principles throughout this process have been:

• To prioritise the needs of the Welsh economy and Welsh workers.
• To keep as many links open with the European Union as possible.
• To get as many of our Special Conference Motion points into the official Welsh position as possible, which include protections for workers' rights and the environment.
• To ensure that there is as much of a united front as possible between Wales, Scotland and northern Ireland.

As a result of this, the White Paper establishes that:

• Wales should continue to participate in the Single Market, either as members of EEA and/or EFTA, or with an unprecedented deal.
• The Welsh Government should develop a comprehensive new international policy.
• Wales should develop comprehensive links with Ireland.
• The constitution of the UK must be remodelled and no agreements should be made without the consent of Wales and of our National Assembly.
• Our agricultural producers and farmers must be protected from any tariffs or threats to their livelihoods.
• That Wales itself should legislate to keep vital European environmental standards and regulations, if the Conservatives to decide to throw them out of the window.
• That European migrants in Wales are not “bargaining chips”, are contributors to our society, and that the principle of freedom of movement should be implemented in a way that is consistent with the Single Market, as is the case in Norway.

So counting the Lib Dems thre of the Parties in the Assembly have agreed on a joint platform and although Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said he would have tried to reach a wider cross-party agreement but claimed the first minister had not invited him.as he is on record on supporting an Hard Brexit  we can only wonder what he or his Ukip allies on a Hard Brexit could make?

He

"We have a disorganised message coming from Wales," Europe also needed to respond on the issue of immigration.
"When the single market was created and the tenets that underpin the single market, this mass movement of people around Europe wasn't a consideration,"
"It is a consideration today."

One of the interesting outcomes  of today's  Supreme Court  ruling if it agrees that The EU referendum result does not give ministers the power to trigger Brexit without consulting Parliament is that it may result in Welsh Labour MPs supporting an entirely different approach.

Indeed  such is the lack of any consensus in the Parliamentary Labour Party I wonder if there will be Labour MPs putting forward a similar approach to the Plaid/Labour agreement.

Indeed I assume that the sole Welsh Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams who is a minister in the "not a coalition" Welsh Government

The Liberal Democrats have taken the line of opposing Brexit entirely .

Also how many Tories fuly support a Hard Brexit.

Former Welsh Lib Dem Peter Black has commented on "the apparent lack of unity within the Parliamentary Party. "

We may well be seeing Brexit delayed if it now comes under parliamentary scrutiny and with the possibility that the Hard Brexiters are not in a majority it may be that a compromise will be reached.

Has Wales given them a blueprint.?