Making the most of Brexit opportunities

I THINK the biggest news of the past month has been the historic vote in the House of Commons to trigger Article 50 and begin the process of leaving the European Union.

RCT voted to leave the EU in the referendum, and it is good to see that such a large majority of MPs – 498 to 114 – voted to honour the will of the people, regardless of which side they campaigned on.

As someone who campaigned to Leave, I am excited by the opportunities it brings for the whole of Wales, and of course RCT.

During the campaign, many people here told me how they were frustrated by the EU, and they wanted to take back control.

We must now make the most of the fantastic opportunities we have, and that means coming together and working to deliver a better future for everyone.

Business rates rises were a key issue towards the end of last year, as revaluations due to come into force soon saw many small and medium enterprises see their rates double or more.

Following pressure from AMs across the Assembly, the Welsh Government announced it would provide £10m in relief to help those businesses affected.

But until last week, no further details were provided.

I raised this in the Chamber several times, and it was good to hear the First Minister confirm to me that it would be released by the end of last week at the latest.

With St David’s Day just a few weeks away, I hope we can use it as an opportunity to showcase some of the best local produce.

Whether it is Gwynt Y Ddraig Welsh Cider, the fantastic cakes at The Prince’s or Penderyn Whisky, RCT has plenty to offer and we must do all we can to support them.