ALL THREE Welsh Conservative Senedd Members in Gwent have been named in the shadow cabinet.

Party leader Andrew RT Davies named his shadow team on Thursday.

Laura Jones, who retained her seat as regional member for South Wales East, has been named shadow minister for education.

Also named in Mr Davies’ shadow cabinet are Monmouth MS Peter Fox, who has been named as shadow minister for finance, and Natasha Asghar, who is the new shadow minister for transport and technology.

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Ms Jones came into the previous Senedd following the death of Mohammad ‘Oscar’ Asghar, Ms Asghar’s father.

She said she was “honoured and delighted” to have been appointed shadow minister for education.

“My job will be to ensure that the Welsh Government address the massive impact of the pandemic on our children, young people and education, making sure that we have long term solutions in place,” she said.

“Also, I will be dealing with the massive sea-change in how education is going to be delivered here in Wales this year, with new curriculum coming in, and I will be holding the Government to account on its introduction and delivery, whilst ensuring our educational staff are properly supported throughout.

“I will be ensuring that our children get the very best start in life, and that we have an education system that our children and young people deserve, in every part of Wales, making sure that their educational journey from infants into the real world, is the best it can be.”

Mr Fox said he was “immensely honoured” to be appointed to his new role.

“Unsurprisingly, people’s focus will be firmly placed on our country’s future finances,” he said.

“As the shadow minister for finance, it will be my role to scrutinise the Welsh Government’s actions to ensure the people of Wales get value for money for decisions being made.

“Welsh Conservatives will be the effective opposition Wales needs to ensure we are able to bounce back post-pandemic.”

Mr Davies said: “After our best ever Welsh election result, this is a new team brimming with energy and ideas to tackle the big challenges Wales faces as we come out of the pandemic.

“The Welsh Conservatives have delivered a fresh team to the Senedd and I’m excited to see a new shadow cabinet full of talent and expertise from outside parliament enter the political fray in Wales.

“Our immediate priority will be working in the national interest to protect livelihoods and ensure our economy gets on the road to recovery and we build back better after the most difficult period we’ve seen in peacetime Britain.

“My team will do the job that families, workers and businesses in Wales want to see from us – holding Labour to account, putting forward positive policy alternatives as we build a real alternative and ensuring that, through strong opposition, we deliver better government.”