Welsh Tories’ silence over England’s lockdown “reeks of hypocrisy” says Plaid Cymru

>PLAID CYMRU leader Adam Price MS has criticised leading Welsh Conservatives for their “hypocrisy” on covid-19 lockdown measures.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce at 17:00 today (31 October) that England will enter a national lockdown from Wednesday 4 November. This is despite the Conservatives having opposed a national lockdown in Wales.

Last week, the Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart MP had criticised the Welsh Government’s decision to implement a national lockdown as being “unfair”. Welsh Conservative Members of the Senedd had also voted against the motion tabled jointly by Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government despite scientific advice showing it was necessary to prevent the spread of the virus.

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price MS said:

“The Welsh Conservatives’ deafening silence over the UK Government’s decision to impose a lockdown in England reeks of hypocrisy. Only last week, leading Tories including the Secretary of State for Wales were brazenly opposing national measures despite SAGE’s advice showing clearly it would save lives.

“Now that their own party are set to implement the same in England – those leading Tory figures in Wales must immediately apologise for their pure opportunism in playing politics with people’s lives.

“With transmission rates rising sharply in England as they enter a second national lockdown, the Welsh Government must now give certainty that travel restrictions remain in place following the end of Wales’s firebreak.”