This is a huge day for our island with this UK government firmly putting its money where its mouth is by buying the Wylfa site.
I could not be more thrilled to hear those words come from the Chancellor today. It is exactly what I have cajoled, ambushed and pleaded for to happen with every minister I could find.
What it means is that we will have a new nuclear plant at Wylfa. Ownership of the land is the key to unlock it and it has happened.
What a victory for Ynys Môn. Bright days lie ahead with huge investment and high-quality and high-paid jobs coming to our energy isle. We will be playing our part in the UK’s energy security and net zero ambitions too and we should be proud of that.
But more hard work is needed to ensure further progress is made and spades are in the ground as soon as possible. I will continue to pester and prod and make a nuisance of myself in a turbo-charged way to ensure the pace is kept up.
My absolute top priority was to bring jobs and investment to the island. New nuclear is the Holy Grail.
Work now needs to take place to ensure all our communities benefit from it in terms of infrastructure and ensuring the jobs can go to islanders too. So, my Local Jobs for Local People Campaign will be going up a notch or two.
In his Budget announcement Jeremy Hunt paid tribute to Virginia.
He said: “I can announce this week the government has reached agreement on a £160 million deal with Hitachi to purchase the Wylfa site in Ynys Môn and the Oldbury site in South Gloucestershire.
“Ynys Môn has a vital role in delivering our nuclear ambitions and no-one should take more credit for today’s announcement than my tireless, tenacious and turbo-charged honourable friend for Ynys Môn.
