Reeves warns against isolationist politics in Welsh summit speech
Rachel Reeves used her speech at a Welsh business conference to warn against ‘isolationist politics’.
Speaking at the Wales Investment Summit, the Chancellor called on attendees to reject the politics of “national retreat”.
The event is the most significant hosted by Wales since the 2014 Nato summit – with more than 300 senior business leaders attending from 31 countries.
The Chancellor told the audience: “I believe in that proud and prosperous future for Wales, and I believe that together we can achieve it, if we reject the isolationist politics of national retreat in whatever guise it comes.
“Whether it seeks to cut off Wales from the rest of Britain, or to cut Britain off from the rest of the world.
“If we choose, instead, the high road of national renewal, we can see the future that is waiting to be built right here.
“This Government is choosing investment, choosing to move forwards, choosing to back business and make working people better off.”
In a recent Senedd by-election in Caerphilly, Labour lost one of its strongholds to Plaid Cymru, and fell into third place behind Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Speaking after the vote, Sir Keir Starmer said he was “deeply disappointed” by Labour’s loss in the constituency and conceded his party “clearly need to do much more”.
In her speech, the Chancellor added: “This is a country rich in tradition, in music, in literature, and the breathtaking landscapes and its proud industrial heritage, a nation which once powered Britain and much of the world through its coal industry.
“That legacy is present wherever you go.
“Earlier this year, at the spending review, I was pleased to be able to provide funding to keep the coal tips safe here in Wales – our bigger task is to make sure that that heritage remains a source of pride and never a retreat or a distraction from the future.
“To make sure that those towns and cities which once powered the last industrial revolution can play a central role in our next one.”
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‘Keep the cosl tips safe in Wales’ A pittance so far! If we had to depend on English Labour it would be another century before they’re cleared!
And of course it was Labour (both Welsh and English) that made Aberfan pay for its own clean up…
Isolationist? Its her govt at westminster that opposes the uk even re-joining the eu single market.
A personal political broadcast on behalf of Plaid Cymru.
She should have gone to Dr Williams, she might have picked up a bit of class…
I still meet the odd ‘old ‘DWS’ girl’, there is something about them, 100 years of excellence…education in my old county! RIP Coleg Harlech…
I owe it all to the National School…
Old DWS girls include Eluned Morgan, no not that one, 1870-1938…
Dame Margaret Lloyd George…
UK went isolationist. Knackered our future for decades because farage is an idiot.
At least Wales has an option to get back to the EU if we are alone.
After last week’s fiasco she ought to keep her mouth shut for a while. Starmer would also do well to go away and reflect on how he and his Chancellor have contrived to dig such a big hole within 16 months when the electorate gave them the biggest open goal ever in July 2024.
I imagine she’s adopted the Poirot moustache to help her find that mystical black hole she keeps banging on about.
“Time to admit the truth: Brexit has been an unmitigated economic failure”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/11/29/admit-truth-brexit-has-been-an-unmitigated-economic-failure/
We will have the chance to give Nigel the Brexist a good kicking in the Polls soon. Put his little firm out of business, so you folks in the south, remind everyone in your street ‘Don’t Get Fooled Again’…
Because I asked the young nanny if she was the ‘daughter’ I finished up having a quiet drink with John the Bass before he joined the band on stage at Wembley that night…
RIP Mr Entwistle
How humiliating for the Telegraph.
Wow! She really displays her ignorance, doesn’t she? Hasn’t she heard of Welsh Internationalism or Celticism. Of course not. For Rachel, like many of her ilk, life is whatever happens within the M25, with the Westminster village at its beating heart. But fair play, at least she’s had a day out and has dipped her toe in Wales, or Way O’s, as she’d say.
It is the type of investment that matters in the economy.
Sadly the UK Government does not release the tax breaks it gives multinationals https://www.taxwatchuk.org/pillar-2-tax-break/
Or protects less developed nations https://taxjustice.net/press/tax-haven-ranking-uk-protects-itself-while-keeping-world-defenceless-to-british-tax-havens/
Funny how they’re swarming over the M25 border into Cymru at the moment, must be an election coming up soon, oh, what’s that I hear you say, there IS an election coming up soon, well well. Nothing like an upcoming election where your ruling party may just lose the control & power it’s had in Cymru for a century ( along with the 25 years in the bay of course) to concentrate the mind is there. Expect to see all manner of ministerial visits in the coming months & beware strangers bearing gifts. Looks like we’ll be Labour’s flavour of… Read more »
The brass neck of Rachel Reeves. Her party supports a hard Brexit, no to rejoining the single market, customs union and freedom of movement of people across Europe. I support Wales being an equal member in the EU working together in solidarity & mutual respect. So jog on Reeves.
Meanwhile Brexit Britain‘s prime minister talks about strangers. RachelReeves briefly uses the old “good times are coming” theme that most people have given up waiting for long ago but the whole speech seems to be about Cymru’s proud PAST. She talks proudly about making safe the coal waste from the industry that helped to make her country great but that should have been done decades ago. We’ve heard these promises before. Cymru needs to look to the future and I hope that next May it will do that by voting a Welsh party into government for the first time in… Read more »