Having your cake and eating it: Plaid call for independence… (and more money from the UK Government)
In a remarkable feat of irony, Plaid Cymru have followed up calls for Welsh independence – by asking the UK Government to extend the “scale and scope” of Welsh borrowing powers.
They have argued that Welsh borrowing powers need to be expanded in light of the vote to leave the European Union. Earlier this month they launched a campaign for Welsh independence as a result of the vote to leave the European Union.
Senior economic experts are believed to be “confused”, according to the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives – Andrew RT Davies.
He said:
“If there’s one thing Plaid Cymru are good at, it’s spending other people’s money, but these calls will leave economists confused.
“It’s rather ironic that just at the moment Plaid Cymru are using Brexit to justify their latest calls for Welsh independence, they are simultaneously asking for the ability to borrow more money from the UK Government.
“Where will that money come from if Wales leaves the United Kingdom? It just underlines the economic illiteracy of Leanne Wood and her nationalist colleagues.
“Instead of talking down Wales’ prospects in the post-Brexit era, Plaid should be working positively and proactively to reimagine Wales’ relationship with Europe, and to ensure that Wales benefits from the changes.
“Brexit is an exciting opportunity for Wales and this kind of sloppy student politics is both harmful and childish.”