Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. As the First Minister said at the very start of this debate, it's a good thing that the UK is leaving the EU with a deal. In my opinion, the alternative would have been unthinkable, though I do respect the views of those who disagree with this, a position that's been put forward eloquently today by Alun Davies and others. I think the bottom line is that to have left the transition period with no deal would have exposed the UK and the Welsh economy to massive risk at a time when, let's face it, we're investing so much energy in combating the pandemic. Can I reassure the First Minister that, whatever he may think of the opposition benches and our fetishes, I'm certainly not one of those who worships at the shrine of Margaret Thatcher every morning? Though like him, I do recognise that she was an exponent of democracy at every level, and was of course, many years back, an enthusiastic supporter of the UK's entry into the EEC. So, how times have changed.

As the First Minister has said, all this is in the past, and it's a deal or no deal. What provides a foundation for the future, in my opinion, is the former of those—it's this deal or no deal, I should say. Businesses across Wales will welcome the news that the deal protects tariff-free trade, at least in the medium term, and the movement of businesspeople across the EU for short-term business travel. I voted to remain in the EU in 2016, as did a majority of my constituency, but we have to recognise that a majority of those who voted voted to leave. Over four years have passed under the bridge since then, and there is a desire now to come together. I'm also a realist, and this deal is not perfect—it's far from it. But the process of withdrawal was never going to be easy, deals are often reached at the eleventh hour, and there are aspects of those deals that both sides would seek to revisit at some point in the future. 

Adam Price, in his passionate speech earlier, said that this deal does not offer the same protections for our economy as membership of the EU and the common market, and of course, no, it doesn't. That's quite clear, because we're no longer part of the EU and, as of midnight on the thirty-first, the transition period itself will be over, too. Now, that may be disappointing to many, but that's where we currently are. So, it's important we leave on the best terms possible. As former Chancellor Ken Clarke has said, a 'no deal' Brexit would have put the UK's economy back over 50 years. Well, thankfully, that's been avoided. We have a basis on which to build and to move forward, and I think it's important now that the UK Government and the Welsh Government put plans in place to build on this deal as we move forward, combat the pandemic and seek to build back better and build back greener.