The Brecon and Radnorshire MS has told the Welsh Parliament that it’s “time to accept the Brexit result” and “move on”.
Conservative MS James Evans was addressing the chamber on the fifth anniversary of the EU referendum which saw the UK vote to leave the European Union by 51.9% to 48.1%.
In a combative and sometimes rambling speech to the Senedd last week, the Eurosceptic MS said the people of Wales had “stood up to the elites”.
In Wales, the referendum result was slightly higher, with 52.5% voting to leave.
“Now it’s the time for everyone regardless of your views to accept the result and embrace the change and the positive benefits that Brexit can bring to Wales,” he said.
“Politicians of all colours can no longer shy away from difficult decisions or policy choices. We can’t blame the EU for their inactions or failings – we all have a responsibility of our actions and produce the actions that the people of Wales want.”
He also used his speech to criticise Welsh Government decisions to halt development on new road building, an effort to shift money from new roads to maintaining existing routes and investing in public transport, and of a proposed “tourism tax” for Wales.
Last week, Welsh Government economy minister Vaughan Gething was scathing about a decision to bypass the Welsh Government and directly allocate funding for regional and local development via UK-wide funds, a move he said was “a clear assault on Welsh devolution”.
In a Senedd debate on the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund and the future Shared Prosperity Fund, the minister said, under UK Government plans, that: “Wales is set to have less say, over less money, and denies Wales investment and the jobs that would have been created during a time when we are still managing our path towards recovery from the Covid pandemic.”
But despite the ongoing row about powers devolved to the Welsh Government from Brussels under the UK internal markets act, Mr Evans now said the WG had an “arsenal” of new powers at it’s disposal.
“Welsh politicians now have wide ranging new powers transferred from the EU, and I hope which we all believe, are best decided by those elected here in Wales for the Welsh people,” he added.
“The Welsh Government now has an arsenal to make these powers work for the people of Wales and get rid of the bureaucratic EU red tape in order to improve our nation and the lives of the people of Wales.”
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