Wales First Minister tells Theresa May ‘Donald Trump should not come on a state visit to the UK’
Carwyn Jones has raised ‘serious concerns” about the US immigration ‘executive order’ imposed by President Donald Trump.
The order temporarily bans refugees and citizens travelling to the US from seven mainly-Muslim countries, despite worldwide condemnation a resilient Trump said it is not “not a Muslim ban”.
Wales First Minister told Theresa May this morning that President Trump should not come on a state visit to the UK.
Mr Jones met with Theresa May and leaders from across the UK to Cardiff to discuss Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union
According to the Welsh Government he “told the Prime Minister that a state visit would be difficult in current circumstances”.
Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns has said President Donald Trump would be welcome in Wales, according to the BBC.
Mr Cairns said while he disagreed with the immigration ban, he would “of course” welcome him.
[miptheme_quote author=”Welsh Government briefing” style=”boxquote text-left”]The First Minister had a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister today (Monday, 30 January) where a number of important pressing issues were raised.
The First Minister raised serious concerns about how the recent US immigration order was handled by the UK Government, and his belief that a state visit would be difficult in the current circumstances.
The First Minister and Prime Minister also discussed the issue of Brexit, and Wales’ white paper.
The Mr jones welcomed a firm commitment from the PM that Brexit would not be used as cover for a ‘land grab’ on devolved powers.
There was further discussion about full single market access, and its vital importance to the Welsh economy. The positions are not identical, but not irreconcilable at this stage. [/miptheme_quote]
A petition to “Prevent Donald Trump from making a State Visit to the United Kingdom” has so far reached 1,168,760 signatures across the UK, 962 people in Deeside have signed the petition, 1.15% of the total number of the Alyn and Deeside constituents.
During this mornings meeting, the First Minister also urged the Prime Minister to use the Welsh Government’s EU White Paper as the starting point for forthcoming Brexit negotiations.
The White Paper, published last week by First Minister Carwyn Jones and leader of Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood, is a comprehensive, credible plan for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
The First Minister also called on the Prime Minister to uphold the promises made during the referendum campaign that Wales would not lose funding as a result of the UK leaving the EU.
First Minister, Carwyn Jones said:
I look forward to welcoming Government representatives from across the UK to Cardiff today. Today’s meeting is an important opportunity for open and frank discussions about the UK’s future post-Brexit.
While we know that the UK will leave the EU we don’t yet know how that will happen or what form our relationship with the EU will look like beyond that point. To inform that discussion, last week I launched our Brexit White Paper.
This is a Paper that will be supported by almost three quarters of Assembly Members, setting out a comprehensive, credible and evidence-based plan for Brexit negotiations; securing both full and unfettered access to the Single Market and greater domestic control of immigration.
It is not simply a list of demands. While it protects Wales’ interests, it was created as a sensible starting point for negotiations for the whole UK.
