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Welsh Government vows to keep fighting UK Government ‘attack on devolution’ after Supreme Court rejects legal case

18 Aug 2022 2 minute read
Mick Antoniw. Counsel General

Wales’ Counsel General has vowed to keep fighting what he has called an “attack on devolution” after the Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge against it.

The United Kingdom Internal Market Act compels Wales and Scotland to accept whatever new standards on food, environment and animal welfare are agreed in future trade agreements by the UK Government.

Food safety, agriculture and many aspects of the environment are policy areas currently overseen by the governments of Edinburgh and Cardiff.

However, the UK government wants to have the final say on issues previously decided in Brussels and a free hand in post-Brexit negotiations with other countries.

The Welsh Government had sought to challenge the legality of the act – but the Supreme Court rejected their application for permission to appeal the Order of the Court of Appeal that our claim for judicial review of the Act was premature.

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said that the legal bid had “failed” and that it was “time for Labour to get over Brexit and get back to the day job”.

But Counsel General Mick Antoniw said that while they were “disappointed by the Court’s ruling” they will continue to challenge the legality of the act.

“In making what is essentially, at this stage, a procedural decision, the Court has not rejected our substantive arguments and has left the door open for this matter to be considered at an appropriate point in the future,” he said.

“The Welsh Government remains clear in its opposition to the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. It is an unwarranted attack on devolution and the right of the Senedd to legislate without interference in areas devolved to Wales.

“We will now consider how we can best take forward our challenge to the Act, to protect and assert the democratic right of this institution to make laws for the people of Wales.”


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Gareth
Gareth
2 years ago

If the leader of the Tory party in Cymru, cared about the people here, he would not be so quick to claim our Gov had lost, and infer they should give up the fight to maintain standards of food and environmental safety. It is plain to see, given how the London Tory’s were so quick to allow sewage to be pumped into rivers and waters, that they care not for the health and well being of the population, and will drop standards to the lowest levels, in order to procure trade deals with anybody willing to deal. True colours on… Read more »

Richard
Richard
2 years ago

Devolution tussles between Westminster & Cardiff Bay – are NOT the point here at all !

The issue is clear – Wales needs its own superior court with Judges from Wales, with a knowledge of modern Wales and clear in a purpose of safeguarding our people in the spirit of the laws of Hywel Dda.

The Appeals level needs Welsh Judges and an understanding of Wales by them and the Supreme Court needs to treat Wales in the same way other colonies have input and representation on matters that are refereed up to them.and concern their governance.. .

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago

The man is beyond redemption and is an albatross around all our necks, the only seat for him is the ducking stool…the moral victory is not in dispute, soldier on Counsel General…

G Horton-Jones
G Horton-Jones
2 years ago

The Supreme Court is England’s
It has no remit in Wales
Like Crimea Wales was annexed by England as a means of acquiring the assets of our churches to enrich the English Crown

Richard
Richard
2 years ago
Reply to  G Horton-Jones

A laudable aim my friend which may well be seen by our grandchildren but in the here and now the High Court in London covers matters of relationship interpretation including devolved matters. We need in Wales our own police & justice system via a superior court that covers day to day matters, oversees the dreadful magisterial and crown courts ( our current colonial governor left us in his previous position ) and is a Superior Court Cymru . The Appeals Court system which covers mostly England, Wales and some Scots and NI matters needs a specific input from Wales judicial… Read more »

The original mark
The original mark
2 years ago

What other result would you expect from an English court?

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
2 years ago

Stick it to the man Mick and RT needs to listen to the words of one of his limp masters Gavin Williamson. ‘Shut up and go away’.

Richard
Richard
2 years ago

🤔 not sure you’ve quite got a grip of this mate …..there is a separation between the legislature and the legal process…. it’s only in places like 🇷🇺 Russia and China 🇨🇳 that they are one …and always ‘ win ‘ 😀

One of the two witnesses
One of the two witnesses
2 years ago

Unionist court backs unionist attack on devolved government powers.
Artie’s short lived experiment with putting Wales first comes to a very swift end.

One of the two witnesses
One of the two witnesses
2 years ago

Kleptocratic autocracy wins. Democracy loses. Everyone loses but some are too dense to realise it.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

Welsh Labour has to realise that the only way to safeguard the interests of Cymru is by backing and aiming for independence. Just accept it for goodness sake – Westminster and the Union do not work for us, we are gaining less and less every day from being tied to such organisations. Please let’s just get out and forge our own future!

Francis Packington
Francis Packington
2 years ago
Reply to  Steve Duggan

How many residents of Walesspeak or understand Welsh? How many actually want a free Wales? Time for a questionnaire for all the people not just the Cardiff talking shop making it’s own decision on devolution it must go the the people to decide.

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

It has nothing to do with how many people in Wales speak Welsh, whatever language you speak we all live in the same country. It’s what’s best for Wales that matters. Current polls put support for independence around the 30% mark, though it is far higher amongst the youth at around the 60% mark. There will be a proper referendum one day but the main aim at the moment should be to promote what Wales can achieve as an independent nation to the population in readiness for that day.

Kenneth Vivian
Kenneth Vivian
2 years ago

Andrew Davies is typical of the many who cravenly
embraced English statutory provisions after the Welsh 1485 victory that led to the 1536 Act of so called union

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