2. 2. Debate: The Outcome of the EU Referendum

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:22 pm on 28 June 2016.

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Photo of David Rowlands David Rowlands UKIP 3:22, 28 June 2016

Well, I welcome your intervention on that part, but you still seem to be in denial about the reasons why they voted to come out of the European Union. But I think what I’ll go on to say will probably answer the question that you’ve just asked, and that is that I said that the implications of this referendum are far too important for any such indulgence. I put it to you that this is a time for cross-party action and consensus as never before. We who were involved in the ‘out’ campaign must and will support wholeheartedly any moves by the Welsh Government to secure not only the funds already promised to Wales by the Westminster Government, together, of course, with its commitment to honour the funding of all those projects now capitalised by the EU, but also to ensure that we get a fair share of those funds that Brexit will yield. I refer, of course, to the difference in what the UK pays into the European Union and that which it gives back. [Interruption.] No, I’m sorry.

Again, this is not a time for party-political bickering as to the outcome of the referendum. The people have spoken and it is up to us as a united Assembly to move forward to secure Wales’s future in this new political arena. Those same political pundits who had it so wrong on Europe are now predicting the break-up of the union. They will be proved wrong on that again. The union will remain fully intact and it is overwhelmingly the will of the Welsh people that we shall be part of that union.

Let us now help and trust the 40 MPs we sent to Westminster, most of whom are Labour MPs, as well as the Welsh Government, to secure the best possible outcome from this referendum on behalf of the Welsh people. The Welsh people have spoken. Let us respect their views. Just one small addendum: in 2010 Government figures showed that only 2.1 per cent of Welsh companies actually export to the EU. Let’s keep Wales’s exit from the EU in perspective. Thank you.