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The Prime Minister’s Brexit deal is “thin and disappointing” which will make trading with Europe more expansive and difficult, the First Minister has said.

In a press statement released ahead of a Senedd debate on the issue, which is happening later today, Mark Drakeford said the impact of Brexit would be felt in the pockets of every person.

And he accused the UK Government of “cultural vandalism” by denying young people in Wales access to the Erasmus programme, which he said Wales has done so much to shape and foster.

First Minister, Mark Drakeford said: “Businesses already know that the treaty will make trade with our largest and most important market more expensive and more difficult.

“The failure to include access to the Single Market for UK services, means businesses will have to rely on 27 different sets of national rules to trade across the EU, where they have one today.

“For our citizens, it means queues at airports; visas for longer visits; more expensive mobile phone calls and fewer people from the EU able to work in our health and social care system, looking after people in need of help.

“For our young people, it means the cultural vandalism of cutting them off from the Erasmus plus programme, which people from Wales have done so much to shape and foster. It also denies them a future in which they can freely live and work across the entire European continent.”

The Senedd will today debate the trade deal agreed between the UK and EU and the UK Government’s Future Relationship Bill at the same time as it is debated in the Houses of Parliament.

Counsel General and Minister for European Transition, Jeremy Miles MS said: “This is not the deal the Welsh Government called for or would have negotiated. But it is better than the catastrophe of a no-deal and gives us a platform on which better arrangements can be negotiated in the future.

“The Welsh Government will continue to work with all partners, businesses, communities and people across Wales to prepare for and help navigate the end of the transition period and the new relationship with the EU.”

The Westminster Parliament has been recalled today and is expected to vote on whether or not to accept the deal.

You can watch the Senedd Plenary debate live on Senedd.tv or streamed on the Senedd’s Twitter account @SeneddWales.

Full details about Wednesday’s Plenary agenda and the motion regarding EU transition agreement can be found here.