Stephen Crabb and Carwyn Jones meet amid devolution row

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Stephen Crabb and Carwyn JonesImage source, Wales Office
Image caption,

Stephen Crabb and Carwyn Jones disagree over the latest powers on offer to Wales

The Welsh secretary and first minister have held their first meeting since a row broke out over further devolution.

In a speech, Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said Wales' economic potential could be "hamstrung" by a "never ending constitutional debate".

In response, First Minister Carwyn Jones said Mr Crabb was the one "banging on" about the constitution.

He also claimed the draft Wales bill, external was a "rusty old banger" dressed up like a "flashy new car".

The meeting on Monday - the latest in a series of regular, scheduled discussions between the two men - was expected to be dominated by the UK government's latest devolution proposals.

Though discussions between officials from the two governments have been ongoing since it was published in October, it was the first opportunity for Mr Crabb and Mr Jones to discuss differences over the legislation in person.

More power over energy and transport is being offered, along with a new way of defining which responsibilities lie with Wales and which at Westminster.

The reserved powers model lists the powers remaining at Westminster, with all others considered devolved.

Mr Jones has claimed this could weaken the assembly's current powers, which Mr Crabb denies.

In a speech in Cardiff on Thursday, Mr Crabb criticised the Welsh government for failing to make progress on the M4 relief road and rail electrification in the south Wales valleys, saying politicians should focus on the economy rather than the constitution.

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