We were very pleased with our inaugural meeting and we can now announce that Gwent for Europe is up and running and raring to go.
The meeting was attended by members of all the major political parties and others who are members of none.
The implications of Brexit for the Gwent area are enormous. The overwhelming majority of manufactured goods and farm produce exported from the area goes to the EU. The area has also been a major recipient of EU funding for infrastructure and job creation projects, receiving greatly more per head than other areas of the UK. The potential impact of Brexit on local jobs is a major issue. People
The meeting also discussed a range of other issues where it was believed that Brexit posed a major threat to advantages which have been gained for Wales and the UK by membership of the European Union. It will be an aim of the campaign to protect existing employment rights and rights guaranteed through membership of the European Convention on Human Rights. Gwent contains an area of outstanding beauty and ecological importance and these must continue to be protected. Wales and the UK must also remain leaders in facing the issue of climate change.
A working group was set up from the meeting; this group will put forward a plan for the next full meeting to take our campaign forward. An early decision has been to make this a genuinely local campaign; we want to know what people think and what is important to them. Talking to local people about their concerns will be a central part of what we do.
If you want to keep informed about our campaign in the Gwent area or want to tell us what you think, get in touch!