Wales Bill rejection would be massive own goal, Crabb says

Politicians in Cardiff Bay will score a "massive own goal" if they reject the latest powers on offer to Wales, Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has warned.

He told MPs on the Welsh Affairs Committee the draft Wales Bill "enshrines permanently" the existence of the assembly.

Mr Crabb said it would be "ridiculous" for AMs to oppose the bill in a favour of a "row with the UK government".

First Minister Carwyn Jones will give evidence to the committee in November.

More powers over energy, transport and the running of the assembly have been offered in the draft Wales Bill which was published last Tuesday.

It also proposes a "reserved powers" model, which lists the policy areas still controlled by the UK government - such as defence and foreign affairs - with everything else assumed to be devolved.

Mr Jones has claimed that the reserved powers model could actually weaken devolution, calling for more cross-party talks on the plans.

Mr Crabb told the Welsh Affairs committee on Monday he wanted to create greater clarity about the share of powers between Wales and Westminster.

"The devolution arrangements have been found wanting - spectacularly so, I would say, given how vague, unclear, and how silent the existing devolution legislation is on so many aspects of policy that the two administrations need to work out who's responsible for," he said.

The Welsh secretary also warned AMs that there would be no further legislation about powers for Wales during this Parliament after the draft bill.

"I think if they were to walk away from this, that would be a massive, massive own goal," he said.

"If they were to say 'sorry we don't want that now' after having spent so long asking for everyone of those powers - then to turn round and say we don't want it after all, we'd rather have the row with UK government because it suits the political culture of Wales much better - I just think that's ridiculous."

The Welsh Affairs Committee will meet at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay on 9 November to take evidence from assembly party leaders, other AMs and constitutional experts.