In First Minister’s Questions today (July 1), Paul Davies MS – the Leader of the Opposition in the Welsh Parliament – pledged his and Welsh Conservative support to cross-party work to deal with the impact of a number of recent major job losses in Wales, including Airbus and Laura Ashley.

Mr Davies said that the announcement by Airbus of 1,700 job losses at the aviation giant’s two UK plants in Broughton in North Wales and Filton in Bristol would be a “devastating blow” to communities, and added:

“It’s vital that governments and parties are working work together where they can to support workers at this time, and I’ll do whatever I can to constructively work with the Welsh Government and colleagues in Westminster to ensure that everything that can be done will be done to support those affected by this news.”

Mr Davies also said that the Welsh Conservatives have brought forward proposals to establish a Covid Recovery Fund for those areas most affected economically, adding:

“I hope that the Welsh Government will constructively look at our proposals which could make a real difference to people affected by job losses at Airbus and Laura Ashley.”

Speaking later, Mr Davies said:

“Covid began as a health crisis, but has become an economic one, too, and the likes of Airbus are casualties of the effects of the pandemic.

“It is critical that cohesive and complete plans are set out by the First Minister to get Wales not just bouncing back from the pandemic, but instead bouncing forward to get the economy working for all our people.”