Welsh Conservatives have criticised Carwyn Jones’ visit to Brussels as ‘full of empty words and hypocrisy’.
The First Minister said he wants to distinguish Wales’ approach from the UK Government because of what he called “harsh rhetoric” from EU critics. This comment comes even after the First Minister said in a speech at the end of a European Programmes debate in the Assembly on Tuesday January 10th that “I probably would’ve vetoed.”
Prime Minister David Cameron vetoed Britain’s involvement in a new EU Treaty before Christmas because he could not get safeguards for the UK’s financial sector.
The Leader of the Opposition, Andrew R T Davies AM, said:
“The First Minister appears to say one thing about the EU in the Senedd and very different things when he’s in Europe.
“Wales has had records levels of European funding in recent years. The First Minister should be concentrating his time on using this funding effectively, creating a dynamic trading relationship with our EU partners and developing a growth strategy rather than going to Brussels full of empty words and tired rhetoric about Europe.
“Last week, the First Minister naively gave support to the implementation of Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) even without international agreement.
“What is becoming more and more apparent from the First Minister in recent months is that he has a lack of real understanding about core European issues such as the FTT, growth and future direction of Europe itself.”
