Mark Drakeford: The UK must be reformed to survive - BBC News
The first minister tells the Labour conference the bonds of the four nations are being "torn apart".
Mark Drakeford has been Welsh first minister since the end of last year

The UK must be reformed to survive, the Welsh first minister has told the Labour party conference.

Mark Drakeford described how the bonds keeping the four nations together were "being torn apart by Brexit" and "couldn't-care-less Tory governments".

In Brighton, he also repeated a commitment to campaign to remain in the EU in an election or fresh referendum.

Mr Drakeford previously said Welsh independence was "rising up the political agenda".

"Our task under a new UK Labour government must be to build a new United Kingdom," he said.

"One that genuinely works for its four constituent parts."

It is the first UK Labour conference since Mr Drakeford took over as Welsh Labour leader and first minister from Carwyn Jones last December.

In his speech on Sunday, he set out a plan to reform the union, saying it "can only be Labour that articulates a different vision for those repelled by the poisonous politics of division and despair".

Mr Drakeford's views are different to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's on the Brexit process

Mr Drakeford added that through reforming the UK and remaining as part of the EU, the Labour party could offer an alternative to "narrow nationalism and worn-out imperialism".

His stance on campaigning to remain in the EU has put him at odds with the UK Labour stance on Brexit.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said if the party wins power it will offer a referendum choice between Remain and a "credible" Brexit option.

Earlier, Mr Drakeford told BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement he hoped the conference would focus on wider issues on Sunday rather than internal politics, following a move to oust deputy leader Tom Watson.

"There is to be a review of the deputy leader's position. I think that's right and proper," Mr Drakeford said.

"You wouldn't in Wales have a position as they have at UK level where two men hold both the leadership and deputy leadership so we've reviewed it already in Wales - time to review it at a UK level."

Mr Drakeford also wants the Welsh party to be in charge of reselecting Welsh MPs

When Mark Drakeford told the conference hall that Welsh Labour would campaign "unapologetically" for remain in another referendum he got the biggest cheer of his speech.

It highlights the big division facing Labour over Jeremy Corbyn's Brexit position - he's promising a referendum but he is refusing to say he'll support remain despite coming under intense pressure from many party members.

As for the relationship between the Welsh party and the UK leadership - Mr Drakeford says he is not intending to put pressure on Mr Corbyn, but he insists that all Welsh Labour candidates will go into any general election on a remain platform.

How that works in the context of the wider UK party is a bit confusing, given that it is Mr Corbyn who is in charge of Labour MPs once they are elected.

But Mr Drakeford is not backing down on his Brexit position and neither is he retreating on another important issue.

He wants Welsh Labour to be in charge of the reselection process for Welsh MPs.

This may seem like a geeky, internal party matter (and I confess, it is!) but it is also about a struggle for control and a genuine disagreement between the Welsh and UK leaderships.

And Mr Drakeford says he will not give up, despite having been knocked back once already.

Don't get me wrong, they haven't fallen out. Mr Corbyn told me they get on "just fine", but "clear red water" is flowing once again.