6. Welsh Conservatives Debate: Departure from the European Union

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:25 pm on 23 June 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 5:25, 23 June 2021

I felt compelled to make a contribution to this debate, largely because, like Jane, I have been struck by the tone of much of what I have heard here today. Maybe it's his naturally jovial temperament, but I almost thought Darren Millar was just enjoying this—rubbing our faces in it, if you like, five years on from that referendum result.

There were serious consequences to that result. We have moved on, we have left the European Union, but anybody who denies those serious consequences is doing a real disservice to the people of their own constituencies—and yes, I know you want to make a mark here in this new Parliament, but you're doing a disservice to Wales.

Let me just mention quickly the food sector in my constituency. Any deal—and yes, there are a number of them, Darren Millar—any deal is not necessarily a good deal, and I know how concerned farmers in my constituency are about the consequences of that Australian deal. I know how devastated shellfish farmers have been in my constituency because of the impact of leaving the European Union. I can tell you about one food exporter in my constituency—excellent exporter. Thirty per cent of its ice cream would go to the European Union. It would take an order, it would put together that order—small-ish batches, altogether coming to big orders, creating jobs and maintaining jobs in my constituency. They'd take the order and they would fulfil it. Now, they take the order—you can't send small batches to European Union countries anymore, you have to fill a wagon, because you bring a vet—a vet—into your factory here on Anglesey and in your constituencies to pass off that ice cream and sign it off. Then you have an export agent; then you have an import agent in the country that you're exporting to. One load of ice cream had to be sent three times before it was allowed into the Netherlands. The manufacturer didn't make a penny on that export load, and the reality now is that that company will not be exporting, probably, in the future. Now, that is a serious consequence of leaving the European Union, whether you voted for that or not.

Now, I'm serious about seeking the best for Wales in this new context, but a lot of what we have heard today has been pretty desperate jingoism and Wales and the Senedd deserve better than that.