Carwyn Jones: PM should have been at Brexit summit

Theresa May should have been at a summit of British and Irish ministers on Brexit, the first minister has said.

Carwyn Jones agreed with Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, who said it was a "missed opportunity" for the prime minister.

Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland and Wales had "very similar" positions in favour of staying in the EU's single market.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire denied this meant no restrictions on free movement.

Brexit was top of the agenda for the British-Irish Council (BIC) of ministers from across the British Isles, meeting at the Vale Resort, near Cardiff, on Friday.

Mr Jones said the BIC had "recognised the importance of access to the single market and how important that is to all the nations of these islands".

Theresa May was not in the line-up of ministers at a meeting of the British-Irish Council

He said it was agreed that Brexit "should be taken forward with minimal disruption", and that there "should be no hard border" between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

"Access to the single market is the most important issue," Mr Jones said.

"I don't think it's practical to have full border control and access to the single market at the same time."

He said there was a need for "compromise" and "creativity", telling journalists: "Many people are concerned about the current system of free movement."

Mr McGuinness said: "I think the British Prime Minister should have been here today."

He said it would have been the "first opportunity to meet with the devolved institutions and crown dependencies".

Mr Jones said: "Unfortunately the prime minister is not here.

"We do need to see the prime minister here in future so she can answer directly some of the points that are made."

Ms Sturgeon agreed, saying: "Generally the UK prime minister should attend but particularly now, when the issues impacting on all of us are so serious,"

The Scottish first minister said the positions of the Scottish and Welsh governments were "very, very similar" in respect of the single market, adding that there was "frustration" at the lack of clarity from the UK government on what it wanted from Brexit.

'Not a binary choice'

The BIC was a creation of the Northern Ireland peace process, and was established as part of the Good Friday Agreement.

Much of the discussion at the press conference on Friday was dominated by Irish issues, such as whether there would be a 'hard border' in Ireland after the UK leaves the European Union.

Asked why the prime minister was not there, Brexit Minister Robin Walker said: "I think this is a forum in which traditionally territorial departments have often taken the lead."

He said Mrs May had met personally the leaders of the devolved administrations and the Irish prime minister.

On the balance between single market access and border controls, Mr Brokenshire, the UK government's Northern Ireland Secretary, said: "We don't see it as a binary choice.

"We do see different options - we're considering those options carefully as we look to the triggering of Article 50 [the formal process of leaving the EU] and establishing that UK-wide stance."

Mr Brokenshire said the aim was to get "the best possible deal, the best possible arrangements for all parts of the United Kingdom".

Analysis by BBC Wales political editor Nick Servini

Arguably, these talks are more important for Carwyn Jones than anyone else.

All parties want to put pressure on the UK government.

But Nicola Sturgeon has constitutional leverage with the threat of independence in Scotland and Arlene Foster has the issue of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic to concentrate minds.

Wales doesn't have these focal points, hence we have seen Carwyn Jones use trade as his Brexit theme that he returns to time and again.

More from Nick

Earlier, Mr Jones told BBC Radio Wales that the devolved administrations were not "puppets" who would accept whatever terms the UK government negotiated for leaving the European Union.

He also warned that the prospect of US trade barriers under Donald Trump made full access to the EU single market after Brexit even more important.

Donald Trump will strike a deal which favours the US, Carwyn Jones claims

Mr Jones said the president-elect had "made no secret of his overriding priority to get the best deal for America".

"I am totally unconvinced we will see a free trade deal that will do anything other than benefit the US," the first minister said.

"Indeed, access to the US market may become more, not less, difficult.

"It is therefore even more important to secure the quality of our access to the European market of 500 million people."

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies called on Mr Jones to offer "a more positive vision for life outside the EU", saying: "His handwringing is now creeping into overkill."