The truth should be told about the UK and the European Union

FIRST Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething was right to travel to Mumbai to ask Tata bosses to delay an irreversible deci- sion to switch off its blast furnace capa- bility at Port Talbot until Keir Starmer leads a Labour UK Government.

We already know that if elected this new government will be committed to growth. This implies many things, including investment in manufacturing, which automatically requires investment in steel. Another essential element is scaling up, which must lead to closer alignment and ultimate membership of the Single Market and Customs Union of the EU, our nearest neighbour and the world’s largest developed market.

While UK Labour policy has yet to reach quite that logical conclusion, it is many streets ahead of the comments from some Welsh Conservatives, who try to caricature Mr Gething’s efforts on behalf of Welsh workers as “globe-trotting”. This from people who made false promises about “global Britain”; during their now discredited EU referendum campaign.

Former first minister Carwyn Jones has observed that Tata chose not to shut similar operations in Netherlands, within the EU, but only in the UK. In Port Talbot and elsewhere Remain and Leave voters alike deserve the truth to be told. Dr Charles Smith

Padraig O’Brien

Joint Chairs, Wales for Europe

UK Labour policy... is many streets ahead of the comments from some Welsh Conservatives

Dr Charles Smith and Padraig O’Brien