A little sooner than I was expecting, but here we go for the General Election. This will be my last column as the Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire. After Parliament dissolves on 30th May, I will become the Conservative Party’s candidate for the new constituency of Brecon, Radnor and Cwm-Tawe.
There is a huge amount that I am proud of when I look back on my first term as a Member of Parliament. I’ve overturned the decision to close Brecon Barracks. I’ve secured tens of millions of public investment for the constituency; ensuring a future for vital community projects like the New Radnor Arms pub and the Judge’s Lodgings in Presteigne as well as huge job creation schemes like the Global Centre for Rail Excellence in Coelbren. I’ve banged the drum loudly for our farmers; challenging Welsh Labour on dangerous policies like the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones or the Sustainable Farming Scheme.
But I’m not even halfway through; I remain determined to stop the industrialisation of our countryside with wind turbines and pylons. I will continue to challenge broadband providers to finish the job of connecting rural villages to high speed internet access. I will continue to hold corporate banks so that you are always able to access your cash.
But while I am confident of what we have delivered so far, I am worried for the future of the United Kingdom. There can only be two winners in this election; Labour or the Conservatives. Keir Starmer once said that Wales was his “blueprint” for the United Kingdom. This fills me with dread. The highest NHS waiting lists on record, the lowest education standards across the country and an economy paralysed by chokehold policies like 20mph. This isn’t political spin – this is the factual reality of life in Wales under Labour.
To me, the choice is clear. Why would we allow Keir Starmer to do to Britain what his party has done to Wales?
