The Welsh government calls the Prime Minister’s return statements “shocking” | Politics

The Welsh government has launched a withering attack on Boris Johnson’s dismissal of the return as “a disaster north of the border”, calling the Prime Minister’s comments “shocking” and stating that his administration’s conduct threatens the future of the UK.

While Johnson directed his comments to Scotland, the Labor-led Welsh government argued that they showed that the UK government was not “even remotely interested” in honoring the union-wide return.

Relations between Cardiff and Westminster have become strained during the Covid crisis and Johnson’s comments have clearly touched a nerve.

Welsh General Councilor and Minister for European Transition Jeremy Miles said: “The Prime Minister’s remarks are shocking but sadly not surprising. It has been clear for some time that this conservative government is not even remotely interested in honoring the return agreements in the UK.

“The prime minister is also a union minister, but the conduct of his government is actually the biggest threat to the future of the union.”

The Welsh government has been increasingly frustrated by sporadic contact between the UK government and delegated administrations during the coronavirus pandemic.

Like Scotland, Welsh ministers are also angry at what they see as a Westminster “takeover” in the form of internal market law and are concerned about how Wales will be financed after Brexit.

Miles added: “If they [the UK government] want to show that they are willing to compromise and respect the will of the peoples of decentralized nations, they must immediately review the law of the internal market, with its assault on decentralization, and finally commit to working with the Welsh government in regards to the shared prosperity fund [which is designed to replace EU funding] and future funding for Wales “.

During a Zoom call with some 60 Conservative MPs from the north on Monday night, the prime minister described the return as “Tony Blair’s biggest mistake.” Downing Street later said the comments referred to the mismanagement of the Scottish National Party.

In response to the comments, which also included Johnson saying he couldn’t “see a case” for handing over more powers, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said they supported the case for independence.

She tweeted: “These PM comments are worth bookmarking for the next time the Conservatives say they are not a threat to the powers of the Scottish Parliament or, more unbelievably, that they support the devolution of more powers.

“The only way to protect and strengthen the Scottish Parliament is with independence.”

Both Douglas Ross, who leads the Conservatives in Scotland, and Paul Davies, who leads the Conservatives in the Welsh Parliament, insisted that the return had not been a disaster.

Welsh nationalists enthusiastically took advantage of Johnson’s remarks. Adam Price, the leader of Plaid Cymru, said Wales’ “biggest mistake” was that it had not yet left the union.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, speaking on behalf of Plaid on health, said: “Let us not let the desperate leaders of a failed UK state dictate our future.”

The YesCymru campaign group, whose membership is growing, said: “People in Wales are realizing the fact that the UK is about to end. The question for everyone in Wales, regardless of politics, is what will happen to Wales when Scotland leaves? Independence or incorporation into England? The return will not be kept. “

The prime minister’s spokesman said: “The prime minister has always fully supported return, and this government continues to put the union at the center of everything we do. Now, more than ever, it is time for the UK to come together to focus on defeating this virus. “