EU Membership: Economic Benefits

Gerald Jones Excerpts

Wednesday 15th June 2016 Commons Chamber

[Gerald Jones (Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)]

I wish to speak today to outline the huge benefits that have been secured by our membership of the European Union and, in particular, the benefits to my constituency and the wider valleys of south Wales. There is no doubt that the choice facing our country next week is the biggest political decision many of us will face in our lifetime. The EU was set up after the second world war and has acted as a forum to bring the countries of Europe together to promote peace and partnership. We have seen a long period of sustained peace during this time, and we should not underestimate the role of the EU in promoting peace across the continent of Europe.

In my constituency, and across south Wales, we have seen huge investment in recent years in transport projects, regeneration and support for training and job opportunities. In the 1980s, the Thatcher Government ripped the heart out of many of the communities in south Wales and left thousands of people on the scrapheap. Following the election of a Labour Government in 1997, and the work done by Gordon Brown and Tony Blair to secure European objective 1 status for the valleys and west Wales, we have seen our valleys regenerated. Working with the Welsh Government, many communities have seen their areas transformed. In the community where I live, local people, the local authorities and others have worked hard to develop a regeneration strategy that secured European funding and regenerated our area. Over the past 15 years, we have seen new employment units, new museums and a new community resource centre, all match-funded with EU funds. These projects were also a catalyst for further investment from the local authority and the Welsh Government.

Merthyr Tydfil town centre has seen huge regeneration, and the area is almost unrecognisable from what it was about 15 years ago. Town centre enhancement has taken place, with the creation of open space with a new town square. The wider county borough of Merthyr Tydfil has seen improved transport links, flood alleviation schemes and village centre improvements. Merthyr Tydfil has a brand-new, state-of-the-art college, attracting and supporting students in a variety of fields. The college has benefited hugely from the EU and continues to do so. When I visited there last October, students highlighted to me the benefits of the Erasmus programme, which supports our young people to study and undertake exchange visits and learning across the EU.

In Wales, thousands of jobs are supported by, or are reliant on, EU funding, and leaving the EU would have a massively negative impact on the Welsh economy. The claims by some Tories that leaving the EU would free up investment for public services is almost laughable. These are the very people who have spent their political lives dismantling public services and creating a smaller state. I do not believe for one minute that they have had a damascene-style conversion. The idea there would be extra investment for public services is just not credible.

As a socialist, I believe that we are always better off together—better off working in partnership with others. We will always achieve more by our common endeavour than we will do alone. I believe that to be the case for individuals, communities and indeed countries. For the sake of our communities and for our standing in the world, the only vote next week, on 23 June, is for us to remain.