Plaid Cymru: Wales must have control over its own EU destiny

Wales should be able to stay in the EU even if England votes to leave, according to Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood in an article in The Huffington Poat, 28 January 2013.

David Cameron insists he wants to stay in the EU but has pledged to renegotiate the relationship to claw back powers and offer UK voters a choice of that deal or exit by the end of 2017 if the Conservatives are returned to power in 2015.

But if plans for an in/out referendum on the EU are put before Parliament, Plaid Cymru will argue that each country within the UK should be able to make its own decision, and that Wales should not be forced out by an 'out' vote in England.

Note at the end of this major feature in Wales Online there is a separate but linked feature: Wales Online asked Wales’ 23 Welsh Conservative AMs, MPs and MEP four questions following David Cameron’s announcement of an in/out referendum on membership of the EU after the next general election in 2015 their views on a range of EU related questions.

• Primary Source

Huffington Post, 28.01.13: EU Referendum: What's Best for Wales? http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/leanne-wood/eu-referendum-wales_b_2551732.html

Western Mail, 25.01.13: Welsh Government told: 'Don't shut down debate on EU membership' http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2013/01/25/welsh-government-told-don-t-shut-down-debate-on-eu-membership-91466-32674528/

Plaid Cymru: Press Release, 24.01.13: Cameron Speech: Plaid calls for Wales to maximise EU benefits http://www.english.plaidcymru.org/news/2013/01/24/cameron-speech-plaid-calls-for-wales-to-maximise-eu-benefits/

ESO: Background information: David Cameron speech: UK and the EU http://www.europeansources.info/record/david-cameron-speech-uk-and-the-eu/

Welsh Conservatives: Press Release, 23.01.13: Labour don’t trust people to have their say on EU http://www.welshconservatives.com/news/labour-don%E2%80%99t-trust-people-have-their-say-eu

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