A PUBLIC meeting will be held on Thursday (Nov 10) at 7.30pm in Rhydypennau Hall, Bow Street, to discuss the process of Wales exiting the European Union.
The members of the panel include Ceredigion AM and Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, Elin Jones, Mid and West Wales AM Simon Thomas, and the Welsh member of the influential ‘Exiting the EU Select Committee’, known as the ‘Brexit Committee’, Jonathan Edwards MP.
Elin Jones AM said: “Ceredigion voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU. This meeting will be a chance for us all to come together to discuss what the best way forward is for Ceredigion and for Wales.
“Simon Thomas and I are really glad that Jonathan Edwards, who has taken up this very important role in Westminster, will be joining us to give his insight, and take part in an informative discussion. All are welcome to listen and to give their views.”
The Brexit Committee, of which Jonathan Edwards MP is a member, consists of 20 MPs – 16 from England, two from Scotland and one each from Wales and Northern Ireland. The members will have the power to call many witnesses, including the Prime Minister and Ministers for Brexit, in order to gather information on the best strategy following the referendum in June. Jonathan Edwards has said that he will use his seat on the committee to ensure that Wales’ interests would be represented.
He said: “Wales has very unique needs in that our economy is heavily driven by our exports and manufacturing – something that is not true for the rest of the UK. Our trade with EU countries alone accounts for 200,000 jobs and we trade even more with countries outside the EU than those inside it.
“While I fully respect the result of the referendum and accept that we must leave the European Union, it is essential that Wales does not lose its membership of the single market as a result. Just as important as our trade with the single market itself is the free trade we benefit from as a result of the market’s 53 bilateral trade deals with other countries around the world. Losing that would devastate our economy.
“The Prime Minister has already suggested that she will seek to cut special deals for bankers in the City of London, so there should be no reason why she shouldn’t respect the unique needs of Wales and cut a similar deal for Wales.”
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