Nations 'must agree' before EU exit, say first ministers

Image caption, Carwyn Jones and Nicola Sturgeon both support EU membership and the Human Rights Act

It would be "unacceptable" for the UK to leave the EU unless each nation votes No in a referendum, Wales and Scotland's first ministers have said.

Carwyn Jones and Nicola Sturgeon have also pledged to fight UK government plans to repeal the Human Rights Act.

The pair held talks in Edinburgh.

Responding, UK ministers said "we are one United Kingdom so there will be one in/out referendum" and insisted the new government had a "mandate to reform and modernise human rights in the UK".

On the EU, Mr Jones and Ms Sturgeon called for 16-year-olds and EU nationals to be allowed to vote in the referendum, due to be held before the end of 2017.

Mr Jones said he was "concerned of the effect on Wales if there was a vote to leave the EU but Wales voted to stay".

"It was useful to discuss the constitutional effects on both Wales and Scotland of a potential UK exit, without support in the four nations," he said.

Mr Jones also said it would be "wholly wrong to change the constitutions of Wales and Scotland by repealing the Human Rights Act without the consent of the two countries".

Image caption, The two first ministers met at Bute House, Ms Sturgeon's official residence in Edinburgh

The discussions, at Ms Sturgeon's official residence in Edinburgh, were the first face-to-face talks between the two since she took over from Alex Salmond last year.

The UK government said the EU had changed "vastly" in the 40 years since the last referendum on membership.

A Wales Office spokesman said: "The British public are clear that they are not happy with the status quo and the PM is determined to address those concerns."

On repealing the Human Rights Act, the spokesman added: "Our British Bill of Rights will protect existing rights, which are an essential part of a modern, democratic society, and better protect against abuses of the system and misuse of human rights laws."