One of the issues that comes up time and again when I speak to residents across Monmouthshire and Torfaen is the cost of living. Whether it is rising household bills, the pressures facing local businesses, or concerns about jobs and investment, people want practical solutions that improve their lives and strengthen our economy.

That is why I have serious concerns about Plaid Cymru's determination to push Wales towards a Net Zero target by 2040, a full decade ahead of the UK-wide target. While we all want a cleaner environment and a sustainable future, any changes must be realistic, affordable and properly thought through.

Wales already faces significant economic challenges. Families continue to feel the strain of high energy costs, while many businesses are trying to navigate an increasingly difficult economic climate. Our farmers, who work tirelessly to produce food and care for the countryside, are under growing pressure from regulation and uncertainty. Manufacturing and industry, which provide skilled jobs across Wales, also need affordable and reliable energy if they are to remain competitive.

Here in Monmouthshire and Torfaen, residents understand the importance of balancing environmental responsibility with economic common sense. Communities want secure jobs, thriving high streets and opportunities for young people to build their futures locally. Achieving those goals requires policies that support growth rather than place additional burdens on households and employers.

At Reform UK Wales, we believe energy policy should focus on affordability, reliability and security. The lights must stay on, homes must remain warm and businesses must have the confidence to invest. Setting increasingly ambitious targets may sound attractive on paper, but targets alone do not create jobs, reduce bills or strengthen communities.

Wales has enormous potential. We have innovative businesses, hardworking families, world-class agriculture and a proud industrial heritage. The challenge for politicians is to create the conditions that allow those strengths to flourish.

As Reform UK Wales’s Shadow Cabinet Member for Food, Farming and Rural Affairs, I will continue to stand up for our farming communities and campaign for policies that support economic growth while protecting the interests of local people. We need a practical approach that delivers real benefits for residents across Monmouthshire and Torfaen, not policies driven by ideology or arbitrary deadlines.

The people I represent deserve policies that put their livelihoods, prospects and future first, and I will continue working every day to ensure their voices are heard in the Senedd.