Thursday, June 28, 2018
Tory Brexit wars spread to Wales
The resignation of the Leader of the Welsh Conservative group in the Welsh Assembly was the clearest sign yet that the fallout within that party over Brexit has arrived this side of the Severn Bridge.
As the Western Mail suggests, Andrew R.T, Davies resignation comes in the wake of increasing unrest amongst some of his colleagues over his forthright criticism of major Welsh employer, Airbus, who warned last week of the impact of Brexit on their business.
After the company warned there could be significant job losses in the wake of Brexit, Mr Davies accused them of making threats and "hyperbole". But UK defence minister Guto Bebb said those comments were "inflammatory".
Although it is looking increasingly likely that Andrew R.T. Davies will be succeeded by Preseli Pembrokeshire AM, Paul Davies in an uncontested election, that has not stopped some of the Welsh Tory Party's hard-line Brexiteers jumping with their own two-pennyworth.
As the BBC report, leading Welsh Tory Brexiteers, MPs David Jones and David Davies have said their party's next leader in the assembly must reflect grassroots members' Eurosceptic views.
With leadership elections taking place for Welsh Labour and the UKIP wales branch, and a possible leadership election in Plaid Cymru, this is turning into a tumultuous summer for Welsh politics.
However, it is the new Tory leader who faces the greatest challenge in trying to unite a bitterly divided party, in which it seems just about anybody can jump in and publicly offer their opinion on how s/he is doing.
As the Western Mail suggests, Andrew R.T, Davies resignation comes in the wake of increasing unrest amongst some of his colleagues over his forthright criticism of major Welsh employer, Airbus, who warned last week of the impact of Brexit on their business.
After the company warned there could be significant job losses in the wake of Brexit, Mr Davies accused them of making threats and "hyperbole". But UK defence minister Guto Bebb said those comments were "inflammatory".
Although it is looking increasingly likely that Andrew R.T. Davies will be succeeded by Preseli Pembrokeshire AM, Paul Davies in an uncontested election, that has not stopped some of the Welsh Tory Party's hard-line Brexiteers jumping with their own two-pennyworth.
As the BBC report, leading Welsh Tory Brexiteers, MPs David Jones and David Davies have said their party's next leader in the assembly must reflect grassroots members' Eurosceptic views.
With leadership elections taking place for Welsh Labour and the UKIP wales branch, and a possible leadership election in Plaid Cymru, this is turning into a tumultuous summer for Welsh politics.
However, it is the new Tory leader who faces the greatest challenge in trying to unite a bitterly divided party, in which it seems just about anybody can jump in and publicly offer their opinion on how s/he is doing.
