A view from Wrexham’s Member of Parliament

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Assembly Members to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home – you can find them all here.

Today, Wrexham’s MP Sarah Atherton writes…

This month we secured our first major free trade deal as an independent trading nation with Japan; boosting trade between our two counties by £15.2 billion, creating jobs and delivering new opportunities across every part of the United Kingdom. This deal will help build back better as we create new opportunities for people throughout the whole of the UK and help level up our country.

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I was particularly pleased to welcome the Minister for International Trade, Ranil Jayawardena MP, to Wrexham to showcase a fantastic family-run farm to discuss how future free trade agreements will help reduce costs and cut red tape on agricultural exports, allowing farms across Britain to continue to produce and export their high- quality good

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The visit took place during the same week as Back British farming Day, which saw us celebrating farmers across the UK. It was a fantastic opportunity to thank our farmers across Wrexham, that help keep us fed, manage our wonderful countryside and produce high-quality food. Wherever possible I encourage residents to show their support to our farmers by buying British.

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Whilst international trade is important, it is crucial that we preserve the integrity of our internal Market. Wrexham is home to one of the largest trading estates in the UK, and sits just 4 miles from the English border. It is vital that we have unfettered access to the rest of the UK as we transition out of the European Union. The UK Internal Market Bill does just that. That is why I am pleased to say that I voted in favour of this bill, protecting jobs, livelihoods, and growth across the whole of the UK.

#Wrexham is home to the largest trading estate in the UK, and sits just 4 miles from the English border.

It is vital that #Wales has unfettered access to the rest of the UK as we transition out of the EU.

The #UKInternalMarket Bill does just that. pic.twitter.com/KYvieaXCrM

— Sarah Atherton MP (@AthertonNWales) September 16, 2020

Nothing is more important right now that protecting our public health and supporting our economic recovery from coronavirus. This Bill will ensure that all four nations can overcome Covid together, promoting good cooperation between Westminster and the devolved Governments. Last month, I welcomed the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and industrial strategy, Alok Sharma MP, to Wrexham to meet with one of the businesses situated on the trading estate to discuss the importance of being able to trade seamlessly across all home nations.

It was a pleasure to welcome the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, @AlokSharma_RDG, to visit @Silvergate_UK in #Wrexham yesterday! pic.twitter.com/cQfL5z2Kzw

— Sarah Atherton MP (@AthertonNWales) August 5, 2020

As part of the UK Governments strategy to spur on the country’s economic recovery from coronavirus, it has launched its new Kickstart scheme. The scheme has been designed to ensure young people at risk of long term unemployment have a future of opportunity and hope by creating quality, Government subsidised jobs across the UK, providing an opportunity to kickstart the careers of thousands of young people who would have otherwise been left behind as a result of this pandemic.

Protecting, supporting and creating jobs is at the heart of our plan for recovery. The Kickstart scheme, aimed at young people, will make sure no-one is left behind as we kickstart the Welsh economy again. https://t.co/yBsW9Qkf7t

— Sarah Atherton MP (@AthertonNWales) September 2, 2020

Recent figures published have shown that the furlough scheme has protected more than 9.6 million jobs across the UK since the scheme launched, including 400,800 in Wales. On the 1st July, the Government introduced ‘flexible furlough’, giving businesses the flexibility to bring back employees part-time, 42,300 in Wales have benefited from this. This shows that the scheme has been very successful in saving jobs and helping to ensure people get back to work.

It was a pleasure to visit the @PPEhwbWrecsam in #Llay, to hear how they’ve been operating throughout the pandemic, producing face visors.

If you’d like to join this amazing team, please email ⤵️
[email protected] pic.twitter.com/Jccr2SrShF

— Sarah Atherton MP (@AthertonNWales) September 12, 2020

Locally, I have continued to visit and speak to local businesses and charity groups, such as the PPE Hub in Llay, whose volunteers have been hard at work throughout the pandemic producing face visors. This is important work, and I am proud to see that our community has come together in this way.

It was a pleasure to visit the @PPEhwbWrecsam in #Llay, to hear how they’ve been operating throughout the pandemic, producing face visors.

If you’d like to join this amazing team, please email ⤵️
[email protected] pic.twitter.com/Jccr2SrShF

— Sarah Atherton MP (@AthertonNWales) September 12, 2020

The last few months have been incredibly challenging for individuals and businesses; however, I am encouraged by the work that government has done to keep us safe, protect our jobs and businesses, and revive our economy. I will continue to work on behalf of the people of Wrexham to ensure their voices are heard as we tackle the virus.
As always, if there is anything I can do to be of any assistance please don’t hesitate to contact me.

https://twitter.com/AthertonNWales/status/1307969209700421632?s=20

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Welsh and UK Parliament representatives to write a monthly article with updates on their work and closer to home – you can find them all here.