As I’m sure many of you are aware, tomorrow marks Victory in Europe (VE) day, the day that we celebrate the downfall of the Nazi regime in Germany and the victory of the Allied forces in WWII.

Tomorrow marks the 80th anniversary of the event and will see communities across the country coming together to celebrate this momentous occasion.

This includes honouring those who sacrificed their lives and celebrating the peace and democratic freedoms they fought for.

We must not forget that this was not just a triumph for Britain, but every member of the Commonwealth who played such a vital role in this victory.

Tomorrow’s celebrations include Town Criers undertaking the VE Day Proclamation, Pipers playing a unique tune written especially for the occasion as well as bells in Churches and Cathedrals being rung out in celebration.

Some of you may even be heading over to London to watch the military procession consisting of more than 1,300 members of the armed forces, uniformed services and young people.

There is also a planned flypast over Buckingham Palace and the Mall.

I myself will be attending several VE Day Events across Monmouthshire and I would urge everyone, of all ages, to get involved in whatever way suits them best.

We will have the unique opportunity to listen to the stories and experiences of our Veterans, and to take a moment to both reflect, but also to thank and honour them for their service.

I am in no doubt that our communities are only made stronger when we all come together to celebrate our shared history.

In the midst of these celebrations however, we must not forget that it is not war that is celebrated, but commemorated. We remember all of the brave men and women who gave their lives in defence of our country against the evils of fascism.

While we remember and celebrate the peace that came about after the War, we must not forget our ongoing commitment to continued peace in Europe.

We think of the Putin’s horrific and illegal invasion of Ukraine and our duty in the continued support for the brave men and women defending their country.

Today is also a stark reminder that we must never take peace in Europe for granted.

Peace is something that must be continually worked for, not something that we can just accept as a given