Theresa May was labelled a hypocrite today after she tried to use the Welsh devolution referendum to sell her Brexit plans
The Prime Minister tried to claim “both sides” accepted to endorse the creation of the Welsh Assembly – even though many Conservative MPs, including herself, voted against it.
Her initial speech which was sent to members of the press read: “When the people of Wales voted by a margin of 0.3%, on a turnout of just over 50%, to endorse the creation of the Welsh Assembly, that result was accepted by both sides and the popular legitimacy of that institution has never seriously been questioned.”
But when she gave the speech, she said that the result “was accepted by parliament”.
Numerous Conservative MPs voted against the Welsh Assembly in 1997 after the referendum had took place.
Liam Fox, David Davis, Michael Fallon and Phil Hammond were among those to vote it down, with Nigel Evans particularly vocal on the matter.
He said: “It would have been better if the percentage majority in favour had been in double figures. That would have settled the issue once and for all, but it did not and it remains unsettled.”
No-deal supporter Laurence Robertson said: “A full mandate—a mandate sufficiently strong to break up the United Kingdom?…If another referendum were held in 12 months, say, it could well give a different result.”
The Leave vote won by 51.89 per cent in the Brexit referendum, on a turnout of 72 per cent.
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