Welsh first minister vows to carry on flying the European flag after Brexit

Mark Drakeford appears in front of a European flag. Photograph: CPMR/Flickr. - Credit: Archant

Wales’ first minister Mark Drakeford has said that his country will continue to fly the European flag on occasions after Brexit.

Speaking at a news conference Drakeford was asked about the large European flag next to him – which sits alongside the Welsh and British flags.

When asked if it would disappear after Brexit he said that he believe the flag would be less “routine”.

But he added that believed there would be instances where he believed it would be suitable to do so.

He said: “There will be occasions on which we will want to mark the importance of our relationship with the European Union, as we do with many other parts of the world, so you haven’t seen the end of the flag either.”

Drakeford is urging Welsh assembly members to reject Boris Johnson’s Withdrawal Agreement Bill, despite the fact it is expected to pass at the end of January in the House of Commons.

The first minister is particularly concerned about the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund which will replace the European Aid provided by the EU to Wales.

He explained: “We cannot recommend to the National Assembly that it should give approval to the bill. The fact of Brexit is undoubtedly now there [but] nobody should believe that is somehow a blank cheque for a UK government to do things in a way that would cause enormous damage to the Welsh economy and to Welsh interests.”