Leaders and Westminster Leaders of opposition parties have
written to the EU’s chief negotiator outlining the growing
support in the UK for a two-year extension to the Brexit
transition period.
The letter is signed by Liz Saville Roberts,
Westminster Leader of Plaid Cymru, alongside the Westminster
Leaders of the SNP, Greens and Alliance Party, as well as the
Leaders of the Liberal Democrats and SDLP.
It follows an announcement that ‘little progress’ has been made
in the latest round of Brexit talks between the UK and EU.
A poll published on Friday (15 May) shows a majority of people in
each of the four nations of the UK support an extension, with 75%
of people in favour in Wales and 77% in the UK as a whole.
Under the Withdrawal Agreement, an extension has to be agreed by
the end of June.
Commenting, Plaid Cymru Westminster Leader, said:
“Thousands of jobs are already at risk because of the
coronavirus crisis, political intransigence should not mean
thousands of more jobs are thrown on the bonfire because of a no
deal exit from Europe.
“This is not about opening up old wounds, but making sure
we don’t create new ones by crashing our economy because of an
arbitrary timeframe.
“Polling shows the public, both in Wales and the rest of
the UK, supports an extension and so does much of the business
community. The Conservatives, and Labour for that matter, must
now do the right thing and put their ideological obsession with
Brexit aside for a moment as we deal with one of the greatest
ever public health crises and consequent economic fallout and
back an extension.”
ENDS
Notes
Full text of the
letter
Dear Michel,
We write regarding the conclusions of the latest round of
negotiations between the UK and EU and express our deep concern
at the lack of progress.
We are now only a matter of weeks away from the final round of
talks which are due to convene on June 1st. This ultimate set of
negotiations will significantly inform the joint summit at which
a decision will be made on whether ‘sufficient progress’ has been
achieved and whether to extend the transition period beyond 31st
December 2020.
We note with deep concern warnings on the lack of progress in the
negotiations thus far. The clock is ticking, and crucial choices
are mounting.
The UK Government’s current position, that it intends to ‘double
down’ on its end of year deadline, means we now contemplate the
real threat of simultaneously facing a devastating no-deal exit
and the worst health crisis in a century. For the UK, leaving the
EU with a bad deal - or no deal - this year would be catastrophic
for many businesses already struggling to survive. With only
weeks left, it is critical that this scenario does not come to
pass.
We write to advise you of significant opposition to the UK
Government’s extreme position amongst the business community, the
general public and elected representatives. Extensive polling
across the UK confirms this to be the case. It is equally
important to note that the Scottish and Welsh Governments, as
well as the majority of political parties in the Northern Ireland
Executive, have made clear their position that an extension of
the transition is now a necessity.
A consensus is taking shape and we hope the UK Government will
soon recognise reality. It is now in all of our common interests
to agree and secure an extension to the transition period. This
will enable these detailed and defining negotiations to be
conducted at a time when, we hope, the efforts of national
governments and the European Union will not be engaged solely
with dealing with the dreadful Covid-19 epidemic.
We hope and trust that the European Union will look favourably
upon a request for an extension and would urge you to prioritise
this issue in the final round of negotiations.
Yours sincerely,
MP, SNP
MP, Liberal Democrat party
, Plaid Cymru
MP, Social
Democratic and Labour Party
, Green Party
, Alliance Party
