Llyr Gruffydd MS Member of the Senedd for North Wales

This week Llyr Gruffydd MS in his role as Plaid Cymru's Spokesperson on rural affairs questioned the Cabinet Secretary on Wales' voice in post-Brexit trade deals.

In the Senedd Chamber Llyr Gruffydd - Plaid Cymru's spokesman on rural affairs questioned the Cabinet Secretary on whether current trade deals negotiated on behalf of Wales' food producers are 'undermining' the industry.

In his question to Huw Irranca Davies, Llyr Gruffydd asked-

"Do you agree with Plaid Cymru's calls for Wales to have a veto on future trade deals if we believe that they are detrimental to the food and drink sector here in Wales? And would you agree with Plaid Cymru again that we would be better off as part of a single market and customs union?"

In his response Huw Irranca Davies indicated that he agreed, and went on to reply-

"On the issue of the voice for Wales in future trade deals, we've had no voice, we have no voice in the trade deals.

"It would be good to have some voice. Regardless of who is sitting in those top seats at a UK level going forward, particularly in food, not just our primary producers, but in the wider food supply chain, we need to have that voice. I'm not saying veto, I'm saying a voice. It's the sort of voice that we used to have, curiously, before we went through Brexit."

In the 8 years since voting to leave the European Union Plaid Cymru have accused both Labour and the Conservatives of being deadly silent on the damage Brexit has caused, and point out that Brexit has been hugely damaging to Wales for several reasons including -

• higher costs of household essentials;  
• Red tape and high charges for businesses;  
• Farmers undermined by post-Brexit trade deals allowing cheap imports to come to Wales.  
• Freedom of movement denied.  
• Local economies around Welsh ports such as Holyhead have suffered a real blow with a reduction in EU freight flow traffic.