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| Nicola Sturgeon says Brexit meeting was 'deeply frustrating' | Nicola Sturgeon says Brexit meeting was 'deeply frustrating' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Nicola Sturgeon has said a meeting with Theresa May at Downing Street about the government’s response to Brexit was “deeply frustrating”. | |
| May’s offer to the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to have direct input over Brexit received a sceptical response, and Sturgeon said she had learned precisely nothing new about the government’s plans. | |
| Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, joined her Welsh counterpart, Carwyn Jones, and Northern Ireland’s leader and deputy leader, Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness, in seeing May at No 10. | Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, joined her Welsh counterpart, Carwyn Jones, and Northern Ireland’s leader and deputy leader, Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness, in seeing May at No 10. |
| It was the first gathering of the joint ministerial committee, which brings together the leaders of the UK’s devolved administrations, since the Brexit vote on 23 June. | It was the first gathering of the joint ministerial committee, which brings together the leaders of the UK’s devolved administrations, since the Brexit vote on 23 June. |
| Downing Street has said it hopes the JMC can be a forum for hearing the devolved administrations’ input on Brexit talks, including what has been billed as a “direct line” to the Brexit secretary, David Davis. | Downing Street has said it hopes the JMC can be a forum for hearing the devolved administrations’ input on Brexit talks, including what has been billed as a “direct line” to the Brexit secretary, David Davis. |
| But after leaving the two-hour meeting, Sturgeon told reporters that the “very robust” talks had brought little of substance. | But after leaving the two-hour meeting, Sturgeon told reporters that the “very robust” talks had brought little of substance. |
| “I don’t mind admitting that parts of the meeting were deeply frustrating. I don’t know any more now about the UK government’s approach to the EU negotiations than I did before I went in to the meeting,” she said. | “I don’t mind admitting that parts of the meeting were deeply frustrating. I don’t know any more now about the UK government’s approach to the EU negotiations than I did before I went in to the meeting,” she said. |
| Asked if she was undermining the UK’s negotiating position with the EU, Sturgeon replied: “I can’t undermine something that doesn’t exist. At the moment, it doesn’t seem to me like there is a UK negotiating strategy, which is one of the sources of great frustration.” | Asked if she was undermining the UK’s negotiating position with the EU, Sturgeon replied: “I can’t undermine something that doesn’t exist. At the moment, it doesn’t seem to me like there is a UK negotiating strategy, which is one of the sources of great frustration.” |
| Sturgeon is pressing for May to give Scotland continued access to the EU single market even if the rest of the UK opts to leave, but said she had been given no clues as to whether this was possible. | Sturgeon is pressing for May to give Scotland continued access to the EU single market even if the rest of the UK opts to leave, but said she had been given no clues as to whether this was possible. |
| “Now, we’re hearing the words that say she will consider options like that, but so far, those words are not matched by substance and action,” Sturgeon said. | “Now, we’re hearing the words that say she will consider options like that, but so far, those words are not matched by substance and action,” Sturgeon said. |
| “But what I’m not prepared to do as first minister is simply stand back and watch Scotland be driven off a hard Brexit cliff edge.” | “But what I’m not prepared to do as first minister is simply stand back and watch Scotland be driven off a hard Brexit cliff edge.” |
| After the talks, a statement from May said: “The country is facing a negotiation of tremendous importance and it is imperative that the devolved administrations play their part in making it work. | After the talks, a statement from May said: “The country is facing a negotiation of tremendous importance and it is imperative that the devolved administrations play their part in making it work. |
| “We have important work to do for the UK in terms of negotiating a smooth exit from the EU and getting the best possible deal for the whole of the UK. The UK has chosen to leave the EU and we’re going to make a success of it.” | “We have important work to do for the UK in terms of negotiating a smooth exit from the EU and getting the best possible deal for the whole of the UK. The UK has chosen to leave the EU and we’re going to make a success of it.” |
| A Downing Street statement said the meeting, which also involved David Mundell, James Brokenshire and Alun Cairns, the secretaries of state for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales respectively, involved “constructive discussions” on placing the JMC on a formal footing. | |
| The JMC also heard from the business secretary, Greg Clark. | The JMC also heard from the business secretary, Greg Clark. |
| In a tweeted statement after the meeting, Jones said there was “still huge uncertainty” about what the UK government sought from Brexit, making it hard for the devolved administrations to have much input. | In a tweeted statement after the meeting, Jones said there was “still huge uncertainty” about what the UK government sought from Brexit, making it hard for the devolved administrations to have much input. |
| “I argued very strongly for full and unfettered access to the single market – my key priority remains the Welsh economy and seeing more and better jobs for Wales,” he said. | |
| Foster, from the Democratic Unionist party, was more positive, telling reporters that it had been “a very useful engagement”. | Foster, from the Democratic Unionist party, was more positive, telling reporters that it had been “a very useful engagement”. |
| Asked about access to the single market, she said: “I think we’re at the start of that process. What is important for the government is to understand the priorities of each of the devolved administrations.” | Asked about access to the single market, she said: “I think we’re at the start of that process. What is important for the government is to understand the priorities of each of the devolved administrations.” |
| McGuinness of Sinn Féin said there was a joint responsibility to manage the Brexit process. “As this process moves along, we need to be at the heart of it,” he told reporters. | McGuinness of Sinn Féin said there was a joint responsibility to manage the Brexit process. “As this process moves along, we need to be at the heart of it,” he told reporters. |
| May promised that the JMC, to be chaired by Davis, will meet at least twice before the end of the year. | May promised that the JMC, to be chaired by Davis, will meet at least twice before the end of the year. |
| By placing future discussions on a formal footing, May said she is giving the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders “the chance for them all to put forward their proposals on how to seize the opportunities presented by Brexit and deliver the democratic decision expressed by the people of the UK”. | By placing future discussions on a formal footing, May said she is giving the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish leaders “the chance for them all to put forward their proposals on how to seize the opportunities presented by Brexit and deliver the democratic decision expressed by the people of the UK”. |