Let’s be clear – two decades of devolution are under attack as a result of this Bill, which threatens to drive a coach and horses through the devolution settlement. I will be opposing this deeply damaging Bill which breaks international law and deeply affects our standing in the world. 

In the ultimate power-grab from Downing Street, the UK government plans to centralise powers in the hands of UK ministers, bypass Welsh consent and sacrifice the future of the United Kingdom. This is an affront to democracy and the people of Wales who’ve elected a Welsh Labour government to lead us. 

The Internal Market Bill breaks international law by reneging on a signed agreement with the EU. Five former prime ministers have condemned the move and even leading Tory Brexiteers have seen this Bill for what it is and have condemned its cavalier approach to international law and the damage it would do.

The Prime Minister is trying to frame scrutiny and significant legitimate concerns as reigniting the Leave vs. Remain dispute. That is total nonsense. By January 1st 2021 we will have left the EU so this is now about how the UK will conduct international trade in the post-Brexit context, how we will maintain our food, animal welfare and environment standards across the UK and how we will protect our NHS from privatisation in international agreements. 

The Internal Market Bill has its second reading in Parliament today. Labour will oppose it and I will be standing up for Wales against this blatant Tory power grab.