5. 5. Statement: The European Football Championship

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:48 pm on 8 June 2016.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 4:48, 8 June 2016

The Member raises an important point, but I would say that I would like to see English visitors to Wales be able to purchase football items that carry the Welsh flag as well as the English flag if they wish to in order to build the economy of Wales. I am aware of shops—and it has been a contentious issue—that have been selling English merchandise, particularly in north-east Wales, where there is a very porous border. This is not new to this event; this is an issue that has been ongoing for many, many years. I think the key thing for us as politicians to recall is that this is Wales’s first opportunity to compete since 1958 and, rather than focus on what other nations might be doing, let’s focus on what Wales has achieved and what Wales should be doing and celebrate the success of the Welsh squad.