Is Theresa May for turning over Welsh Brexit blueprint?
The Welsh Government chose to launch its Brexit white paper - Securing Wales' Future - in London.
David CornockParliamentary correspondent, Wales Theresa May and her cabinet were in the north-west of England at the time, launching their industrial strategy, but the Welsh document will not have gone unnoticed in Westminster. You may well wonder - as did I - why the paper was launched a week after the prime minister ruled out staying in the single market, and after the Scottish government's version had been discussed in Whitehall. Was the Welsh Government late with its homework? First Minister Carwyn Jones told me: "Bear in mind as well that this document is supported by three parties in the assembly. This is not a document that is produced by one party or one government and we want to make sure that we have the widest buy-in possible to make sure we had the support that is needed." 'Norway' Both Mr Jones and Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, standing alongside one another said they respected last June's referendum result. But both maintain the prime minister is wrong to conclude that the logical consequence of the vote means leaving the single market. Carwyn Jones's approach was heavily influenced by his recent visit to Norway, which is part of the single market but is not in the EU. He suggested that freedom of movement rules could require EU migrants to have a job offer before moving here. His said UK legislation needed to be enforced to prevent workers' being exploited. Asked what message he would give to a Bridgend plumber concerned that his job could go to a Pole, who would do it for less, the first minister said: "It's quite simple. You have to make sure people are prosecuted when they breach the law." Leanne Wood told the briefing: "We do not accept that freedom of movement is a problem." She said that the number of EU migrants in Wales was small - 79,000, all of whom could fit in the Principality Stadium. Only 21 % of them were not working, and many of those were students. 'Immigration' Rubbing shoulders with us hacks was a familiar face: Neil Hamilton. The UKIP Wales leader thought the white paper would do little to control immigration. That view will not have surprised either Carwyn Jones or Leanne Wood. Both of them know that Mr Hamilton won't change his mind on Brexit or the single market. The white paper will be considered at the next meeting of the forum Theresa May set up to consider the views of the devolved governments. But if the Welsh Government is to deliver its blueprint for Brexit, they will need to persuade Theresa May to change own Brexit objectives and the prime minister, once she makes up her mind, is not known for changing it.