As we come to the end of this Senedd year and the beginning of recess, I want to reflect on the last few months and some of the work that we have been doing in the Welsh Parliament.
This term the Welsh Conservatives have been holding the Welsh Government to account through a series of important debates ranging from the NHS, the important of rural communities to Wales and improvement of support for children and young people with additional learning needs.
These debates have offered us a chance to speak about the issues that matter to the people of Wales, ensuring that the Welsh Government is held accountable for the powers that it has at its disposal. This accountability not only increases engagement in politics, but also makes for better policy making.
We as a group have continued to listen to the people across the country, making sure the voices of both rural and urban communities are heard and represented in the Senedd.
From North Wales to Monmouth, Pembrokeshire to Powys, we have listened and heard.
We have been passionate about advocating for the needs of SMEs across Wales, championing the environment and biodiversity as well as protecting our NHS and social services.
I am very proud of the work that my Welsh Conservative colleagues have undertaken in ensuring the people they represent have a voice.
Finally, I would like to reflect the importance of civility and understanding in politics.
The world of politics is becoming more and more divisive, with people attempting to dehumanise those with opposing views, rather than have empathy and treat people with grace.
As the late Jo Cox MP so eloquently and accurately phrased it, “we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than the things that divide us.”
With that in mind, I would like to wish my colleagues from all of the Parties in the Senedd a good summer. I sincerely hope they have a well earned break and come back to the Senedd revised and ready for more healthy debate.
