Here's the latest Argus column by South Wales East AM Mark Reckless:

LAST week, Mark Drakeford appeared before the Assembly’s 'Brexit Committee', of which I am a member.

The first minister said that, because of how close the referendum on the UK’s EU membership was, we should compromise and strive for a very close EEA (European Economic Area)-style relationship with Europe.

I asked him if, were the result 52/48 to remain, he would have advocated an EEA relationship, rather than full EU membership, in order to reflect the closeness of the result?

MORE NEWS:

Hundreds of mourners line streets to pay tribute to 13-year-old Carson PriceLocal banks are closing down leaving some towns without a single branchFleur-de-lis cat rescues new-born kitten by staring down a prowling fox

To his credit, the first minister admitted that he probably would not have done so.

If the referendum result was reversed, the remain side would not have compromised.

The reason we had the EU referendum was to decide, In or Out.

The 1997 referendum to establish the Welsh Assembly was closer than the 2016 EU referendum.

On a turnout of just over 50 per cent, the referendum was won 50.3 per cent to 49.7 per cent.

There was no question then about whether that result should be implemented.

Nobody argued for a compromise position, nobody argued for a so-called ‘confirmatory vote’.

A majority of 6,721 votes was enough then to be considered the will of the Welsh people, which was rightly implemented.

The difference is that Welsh political establishment wanted the Welsh Assembly.

They were more than happy to implement that decision, because it was in line with their world view.

The same cannot be said for the 2016 referendum result, where the Welsh Assembly is overwhelmingly at odds with Welsh people.

They implement the decisions they agree with, but when the result doesn’t go their way, suddenly arguments about the closeness of the result crop up.

It is wrong for politicians to think that voters will continue to trust them when they try and subvert their democratic decisions.

Many of Labour’s worst losses last week in the English local elections were in former coalfield areas which voted heavily to leave.

In Wales, Mark Drakeford professes to respect the referendum result, but continues to argue for Brexit in name only, and, if he does not get that, another referendum.

Many of the first minister’s AMs go further, such as Alun Davies, who wants his Blaenau Gwent constituents - who voted 62 per cent to leave - to vote again, until they agree with him, because he knows better than they do.

The same can be said for Lynne Neagle whose Torfaen constituents voted 60 per cent to leave the EU, but are ignored by their member.

Unless the Welsh Government and Assembly Members respect the decision made by the people of Wales to leave the European Union, they may find themselves on the wrong side of history.