7. Brexit Party Debate: The UK and the EU

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:00 pm on 25 September 2019.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 6:00, 25 September 2019

As an independent nation we would certainly be recognised as a nation throughout the whole world. My wish is for that Welsh nation to develop those international networks that your party seems determined to break—building walls rather than building bridges.

But, by all means, let's talk about our transport infrastructure, as I'm always eager to, on how to improve connectivity to strengthen our economy, but let's do it in the spirit of real ambition for our country as an equal partner alongside England, Scotland, our friends across the Irish sea and indeed our friends across the English channel. Just a reminder of the legacy of transport within a United Kingdom context: it's taken till now to have a single mile of electrified railway here in Wales, and even then, when it gets switched on it will only be as far as Cardiff because the UK Government decided that's how far it should go. All our multilane highways run east-west; those routes are very, very important, of course, but where are the north-south routes that could, in the same way, have helped create an integrated Welsh economy? There's no rail connection down the west coast of Wales at all. I reckon I could cycle quicker from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Carmarthen than to go on the train, taking about eight hours. On rail spending, we get 1 per cent of the money that's available to improve and expand rail networks, when we have 11 per cent of the rail network. HS2—I'm sure you all know that, as HS2 spending goes up, rail spending in Wales goes down because it's considered to be a Wales-and-England project, even though every study shows that the Welsh economy will be harmed by HS2. That's the legacy of the UK, and it's the UK Government, as I pointed out earlier, that decided that Wales did not deserve to have a single mile of core status rail or road within the TEN-T networks. Take turns—Mark Isherwood first.