Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns denies divisions in his own party are to blame for Brexit delay
The Welsh Secretary denies MPs in his own party are to blame for Brexit delay.
In an interview with ITV Wales, Alun Cairns refused to accept that divisions in the Conservative Party is prolonging Brexit.
Instead, Alun Cairns said the blame lies with opposition party "shenanigans"
On Wednesday's Wales at Six, he said Jeremy Corbyn and Wales' First Minister, Mark Drakeford are "frustrating the process."
Mr Cairns comments came shortly before a late night debate in the House of Lords which ran into the early hours of Thursday morning.
An evening of high drama, where newly appointed Prime Minister, Boris Johnson was defeated twice - his third defeat in 24 hours.
He first lost a vote on whether to hold an emergency debate, before being defeated on a backbench Bill to delay Brexit and finally his plan for a snap general election.
The Government failed to secure the support of two-thirds of MPs for an election, with the Commons voting 298 to 55 – 136 short of the number needed.
Chief whip Lord Ashton of Hyde said all stages of the European Union withdrawal bill will be completed by 5pm on Friday.
It paves the way for a snap general election to be called in the near future, with opposition parties saying they'd back one if a Brexit extension can be secured.
Both Jo Swinson and Jeremy Corbyn's parties refused to back Johnson's election proposal - but they say they will if a Brexit extension is secured.
Lauren McEvatt, a former Wales Office advisor, told ITV News on Wednesday night that despite the scuppering of the prime minister's first bid for an election, there are others ways Mr Johnson can push one through.
in an interview with ITV Wales Political Editor, Adrian Masters, Lauren McEvatt also said she thought it was right for Prime Minister Johnson to remove the whip from MPs who voted against him on Tuesday.
In the same day, Sajid Javid said there would be an extra £600 million for the Welsh Government's budget next year. An announcement that was somewhat overshadowed by the on-going Brexit talks.
Alun Cairns welcomed the extra money and said "we cannot underestimate its significance."
He said this will take the Welsh Government's budget to £17 billion.
But Welsh Government Minister, Rebecca Evans said the announcement was a "pre-election distraction".
She said Wednesday's spending review "does not even return our spending power to the levels of a decade ago."
"The Welsh Government budget for 2020-21 will be £300m lower in real terms compared with 2010-11," she added.
Alun Cairns denied such claims of a pre-election bribe and said "it's about rewarding and supporting public services."