Devolved leaders to call for Brexit role

The leaders of the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to call for a greater role in Brexit negotiations.

The leaders of the Scottish and Welsh governments are likely to use their meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May, scheduled in Cardiff for 30 January, to say that they have not seen any signs that the UK government is taking their proposals seriously. Their proposals include plans that would allow them to keep full access to the single market, an ongoing point of contention on the Article 50 row.

Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones has urged for ‘open and frank discussions’ and said he would call on May to uphold pledges made during the referendum campaign that Wales would not lose funding as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

Meanwhile, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that time was running out for the May to ‘heed the voice of Scotland’, while insisting the the meeting will be the most important since the EU referendum vote in June 2016.

She said: “It [the meeting] comes at a crucial juncture, with the clock ticking down to the triggering of Article 50 and with, so far, no sign whatsoever that the UK government is taking Scotland's position remotely seriously.

"The JMC (Joint Ministerial Committee) meeting in Cardiff is another chance for the prime minister to heed the voice of Scotland and those of the other devolved governments - and she must take the opportunity to do so."