Brexit speech a step in right direction, Carwyn Jones says

Theresa May said the UK would pay its "fair share" during a transition period

Proposals for a two-year transition after Britain leaves the EU in 2019 are a "step in the right direction", the Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said.

In a speech in Italy, Prime Minister Theresa May said she wanted existing EU market access arrangements to apply during that period.

But Mr Jones said there were "still too many platitudes and not enough detail" from the prime minister.

Plaid Cymru accused Mrs May of "empty rhetoric and blind faith".

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Mrs May's speech in Florence proposed a period of "implementation" - where EU citizens would still be able to live and work in the UK but would be subject to a registration system.

She said she wanted existing EU market access arrangements to apply during that period and promised Britain would pay its "fair share" into the EU budget.

Mrs May said the UK would be the "strongest friend and partner" of the EU after Brexit.

She explicitly rejected European Economic Area membership - the so-called Norway model that has been backed by Mr Jones.

"Such a loss of democratic control could not work for the British people," she said.

'Listen better'

Giving his reaction, Mr Jones said: "Today's speech is a move in the right direction from the UK government, but 15 months on from the referendum there are still too many platitudes and not enough detail, and it begs the question what else could have been achieved in that period.

"The Welsh Government set out a sensible approach to transition in January - which the prime minister seems to be finally moving towards.

"So, whilst we welcome the certainty such a deal would provide to businesses and workers in Wales, this merely underlines the need for the UK government to listen better and act quicker in the months ahead."

Plaid Cymru's Brexit spokesman at Westminster, Hywel Williams, said: "Fifteen months after the referendum, the prime minister still cannot tell us what our relationship with Europe will be after we are pulled out of the European Union.

"Her speech offered very little but empty rhetoric and blind faith.

"We are repeatedly being told what we won't have - single market membership, a hard-border with the Republic of Ireland, the Norway model; but we are no clearer on what we will have."

However, the Brexit-supporting Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies praised the speech "pragmatic and constructive".

"Recent rhetoric from all quarters has been excitable but today's blueprint strikes the balance required - sensible and optimistic in equal measure - to pave the way for substantial progress in the months ahead," he said.

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said: "All of this is designed to avoid a cliff edge. It isn't right for the Welsh or the UK economy to have that cliff edge."

UKIP's Neil Hamilton accused Theresa May of a "humiliating surrender"

UKIP's leader in the assembly accused Mrs May of a "humiliating surrender", in a statement published before the speech was given.

Neil Hamilton said "Juncker, Barnier and the eurocrats are laughing their heads off"," he said.

"Despite Boris [Johnson]'s posturing this week, he is meekly supporting this surrender. What a useless shower they all are.

"This will reinvigorate UKIP to carry on the fight for Britain's independence."