Wales should follow England’s approach to Covid ‘because most people read London-based media’

The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies, has said that Wales should follow England’s approach to Covid-19 because most people in Wales read London-based media.

Writing in the Sunday Times he said that as a result the “confusion” between rules in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland should be brought to an end.

He said that differences between Wales and England were “driven by power-hungry ministers with an urge to put a socialist stamp on proceedings”.

“As we ease out of lockdown, it is important to acknowledge that most people in Wales receive their news from London-based media,” he wrote. “As leader of the opposition hellbent on holding Welsh Labour to account, this situation is never ideal, but it is the field on which we play and ministers must set up accordingly.

“The confusion over rules that differ between Wales, England and other home nations should be brought to an end as these differences have all too often not been based on science. Just because Wales can do things differently, it does not mean the Welsh government should always do so.”

‘Uniformity’

He added that the death rates across England and Wales were “equally bleak”.

“Welsh Conservatives want to see a stance on coronavirus that rejects the ‘how can Wales be different for the sake of it’ approach,” he wrote. “It is time for greater collaboration and a genuine One Nation approach that delivers uniformity, aids compliance and cuts confusion.”

The call for a united, UK approach to the lockdown indicates a change of direction for the Welsh Conservatives which have previously called for a targeted, local approach.

In November, the Welsh Conservatives had previously rejected an all-Wales approach, arguing that local, county-level restrictions would be most effective.

“Welsh Conservatives have called for targeted intervention in the hot-spot areas in Wales and we once again repeat that call today,” Andrew RT Davies said in November.