I WISH to thank the voters of Islwyn for returning me with 45 per cent of the Islwyn vote during the recent Assembly election, it is truly an honour to serve Islwyn and I will work hard to represent you.

Today I write my first column, in the Argus, as an assembly member, as her Majesty the Queen officially opens the Fifth Welsh Assembly at the Senedd.

As our Welsh devolved democracy is rapidly maturing - I pledge to be an activist AM for the people of Islwyn.

We live in times of uncertainty and struggle for many affected by welfare reform and high living costs and I will work hard to represent you. Increasingly it is being recognised that leaving the EU single market will greatly increase uncertainty and job security.

The ongoing steel crisis has shown the political value of the Welsh Assembly led by Labour’s first minister Carwyn Jones. The UK Tory Government was dragged to its current position of seeking to ensure primary steel making capability remaining in Wales by the Labour movement’s determined and persuasive advocacy. Islwyn’s communities were founded on the sweat and blood of coal and steel with communities like the Tysign estate in Risca built purposely for Llanwern steel. As such my first contribution in the chamber of the new Welsh Assembly, was to ask the First Minister a question about the steel crisis. It is imperative we keep primary steel capability and critical to our national interests.

My first public engagement as Islwyn AM was to visit Cwmcarn Primary School.

It was a deliberate choice. For Wales to succeed and to prosper we need an educational system that unleashes the potential of everyone. Cwmcarn was my primary school and I was genuinely moved by the enthusiastic response I received from the pupils. It was slightly more daunting addressing an entire eager school assembly than speaking in the Senedd for the first time!

Many people have approached me and asked my position on the European Union referendum being held on 23 June. I am passionately and unequivocally voting for the UK to REMAIN within the EU. I would urge everybody to do the same as it is in our best interests. To those Labour supporters who voted for me but have expressed frustration - at aspects of the EU I understand your concerns but in all candour I tell you our communities will suffer if we walk away. We will all be faced with Thatcherite Tories heading an even more right wing Tory UK Government with hard won protection for workers’ rights stripped away.