Brexit vote by Labour and Plaid Welsh MEPs 'a disgrace'

It is an "utter disgrace" that Welsh members of the European Parliament voted for a delay in Brexit talks, UKIP MEP Nathan Gill has said.

Labour's Derek Vaughan and Jill Evans of Plaid Cymru backed the EU not to start on the next phase of trade talks.

Mr Vaughan said the UK had not put forward proposals which protected citizens' rights, dealt with the Irish border or settled financial liabilities

Ms Evans said insufficient progress had been made.

Last week, the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier said there was still "deadlock" over how much the UK pays when it leaves.

He told reporters that insufficient progress had been made for him to propose to EU leaders at the summit that discussions can move on from separation issues to discuss a future trading relationship.

A non-binding vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg at the start of October backed the EU in delaying progress to the next phase of the talks.

Mr Gill said his fellow Welsh MEPs, Mr Vaughan and Ms Evans, who supported the motion were "subverting the democratic will of the Welsh people".

"It is an utter disgrace and the people of Wales deserve to know the truth. It must not be a case of 'out of sight out of mind' when MEPs are the public's elected representatives in Brussels at this most critical time," he said.

Mr Vaughan, a Labour MEP since 2009, hit back saying he was "surprised Mr Gill was there at the vote as he rarely attends the European Parliament to do the job he is paid for".

He added: "Because of its internal disputes the government has not put forward proposals which protects citizens' rights, deals with the border in Ireland or settles its financial liabilities which helps pay for structural funds and CAP [common agricultural policy].

"When there is sufficient progress on these issues myself and the rest of the European Parliament will be happy to vote for the next stage to begin."

Ms Evans said: "The vast majority of MEPs felt insufficient progress had been made in the discussions to move on to discuss trade.

"The main reason for this was the UK government's reluctance to come to an agreement on citizens' rights.

"It would be totally unacceptable if citizens, in Britain or elsewhere in the EU, lost the rights they currently have because of Brexit."

Conservative MEP for Wales, Kay Swinburne, followed her party's whip in voting against the motion.

Meanwhile, Welsh, Scottish and UK government ministers will meet in Westminster on Monday to discuss Brexit.

Speaking ahead of the first joint ministerial committee (JMC) meeting in eight months, the Welsh Government's finance secretary Mark Drakeford said it was "an opportunity to re-set the approach and actively involve the devolved administrations in the development of the negotiating position for leaving the EU".

Members of the Welsh assembly's Brexit Committee will also visit Brussels on Monday to meet Mr Barnier.