'Damaging' Brexit could fuel independence talk, Wood says

Independence for Wales could be on the agenda if Theresa May proceeds with a "damaging" Brexit, the Plaid Cymru leader has said.

Leanne Wood said Wales was not being "sufficiently listened to" ahead of UK negotiations to leave the EU.

She told BBC Radio Wales that Westminster politics was not heading in a "very positive direction" for Wales.

Ms Wood campaigned in the referendum to remain in the EU, but a majority in Wales as across the UK voted to leave.

'Lots we need to do'

Speaking to the Jason Mohammad programme, Ms Wood said: "There's lots that we need to do in terms of our economy before we can become an independent nation.

"But I think now is a good time to start to have that discussion, certainly if the prime minister proceeds with a Brexit that is going to be damaging to this country.

"Because to be honest with you the way in which politics is developing in Westminster at the moment is not in a very positive direction as far as I can see from Wales' perspective."

Ms Wood said Wales was in a "different situation" to Scotland, which had an independence referendum in 2014.

"We've not had a campaign, we've not really had a debate about Welsh independence like they have in Scotland," she said.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Conservatives said: "This is confirmation from the nationalist leader that a vote for Plaid Cymru is a vote for independence, and a break from the most successful economic union in the history of the world.

"For Wales to become independent would be equivalent to jumping out of a plane without a parachute."