Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid claims 100 per cent certainty of securing Brexit deal within weeks of general election during South Wales Argus visit

He was in Newport West to back the Conservative party's Parliamentary candidate Matthew Evans in the upcoming election.

"There’s a General Election going on and we want to make sure everybody knows," he said.

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"It’s a very stark choice for the country. They’re being offered two very different opportunities for the future."

Mr Javid offered his support to the 380 workers at Orb Electrical Steels who face redundancy following the news of the site being closed down.

He stressed that making sure the plant was commercially and internationally competitive was vital to securing its long-term future.

"That’s the only way I could look the workers in the eyes," he said.

"I’ve spoken to the business secretary (Andrea Leadsom) and she is working hard with her team to try and find a buyer."

During his visit, Mr Javid repeatedly mentioned his party's desire to "get Brexit done", at one point claiming 100 per cent confidence that, should a majority be obtained, a Brexit deal would be secured.

Asked about the need for a backup strategy in the event of Boris Johnson's deal going the way of Theresa May's, Mr Javid said: "We don’t need a contingency plan because it’s in the hands of the British people.

(Sajid Javid, with Newport West candidate Matthew Evans, chats to South Wales Argus reporter Michael Jones)

"In the past with the deal, we couldn’t get it through Parliament because we didn’t have a majority," he said.

"Labour, Lib Dems and the SNP combined to try and stop Brexit any way that they could.

"They’re trying to end the dreams of all those people who voted to leave in Wales."

Despite voting to remain himself, Mr Javid said that supporting a prime minister who held opposing views in 2016 has not been a challenge.

"I lost the argument but, I’m a democrat" he said.

"I believe that if you go to the British people and you ask them a question - you have to honour the result."

In Newport, 56 per cent of EU referendum participants voted to leave the European Union, with a turnout of slightly more that 70 per cent.

Mr Evans said he believes turnout at the General Election on December 12 will be lower due in part to what he sees as public frustration.

"People are sick and tired of the current situation," he said.

"It’s coming across at the doorstep time and time again. People are angry with politicians generally, I can accept that.

"I think it will affect the turnout. It will be lower. I’ve spoken to people who voted in the referendum who’ve said they’d never vote again."

The Argus is currently running a petition to be submitted to the UK Government calling for action to be taken to save jobs at Orb Steel.

Click here to download the petition.

Print it out, sign it, get your friends and family to sign it, and drop it into the Argus office in Cardiff Road, Maesglas, Newport, NP20 3QN.

Also running for Newport West are:

• Jonathan Clark (Plaid Cymru)
• Cameron Edwards (Brexit Party)
• Ruth Jones (Labour)
• Ryan Jones (Lib Dem)
• Amelia Womack (Green)