Brexit: Enshrine EU law in Wales to stop power-grab, says Plaid Cymru

Steffan Lewis wants to make sure the "standards we value" still apply to Wales after Brexit

All existing EU regulations should be enshrined in Welsh law to stop a "Westminster power-grab", Plaid Cymru has said.

A Welsh EU Continuity Bill would prevent devolved powers from falling into the hands of the UK government, Plaid AM Steffan Lewis claimed.

He said it was "essential" for the Welsh economy to keep Wales "EU compliant".

UKIP called the move an anti-democratic "stunt".

Prime Minister Theresa May has promised a Great Repeal Bill in the next Queen's Speech, which would remove the European Communities Act 1972 but also enshrine all existing EU law into British law.

But Mr Lewis, who is Plaid's Brexit spokesman, said: "Wales needs an EU Continuity Bill to enshrine all existing EU regulations into Welsh law.

"This will ensure that the standards we value, like environmental protections, food standards, and the rights we have come to take for granted as EU citizens, continue to apply to Wales after Brexit.

"It will also stop the Conservatives' EU Repeal Bill turning into a Westminster power-grab over already devolved matters."

He added: "200,000 jobs in Wales depend on trade with Europe. It is essential for our economy that we keep Wales EU compliant.

'Out of step'

The European Union has regulations over some areas, such as agriculture, which are devolved to the assembly.

A UKIP assembly group spokesman said: "This is an anti-democratic political stunt."

He added: "Political decisions will be made in future by elected politicians in Westminster and Cardiff Bay and not unelected bureaucrats in Brussels.

"What sort of nationalist party would rather Wales be run from Brussels than Cardiff?"

A spokesman for Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said it "reinforces just how out of step Plaid Cymru are with public opinion".

"Just weeks ago the Welsh public voted to restore the sovereignty of British law - not to introduce a new bill that would permanently gold-plate every single edict and directive emanating from Brussels," he said.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said it was a key priority to ensure that "important social, environmental and employment protections" were not undermined by Brexit.

"We have also been absolutely clear that policies devolved to the National Assembly must remain devolved when EU legislation ceases to apply, and that there must be no attempt to roll back the devolution settlement post-Brexit," she said.

The spokeswoman added that the Environment Secretary Lesley Griffiths was hosting a meeting of agriculture, food and fisheries ministers and officials from across the UK on Tuesday to ensure that the Brexit process "fully reflects the wider UK position and respects devolved competencies".

The UK government has been asked to comment.