A NORTH Wales MP has been criticised as being irresponsible and a hypocrite by a Member of the Senedd.

Vale of Clwyd MS, Ann Jones, said Dr James Davies MP, who also represents the Vale of Clwyd in Parliament, voted in favour of the month long lockdown in England despite branding less severe measures in Wales as ‘ludicrous’, and ‘draconian’.

She said: “It’s frankly unbelievable he would support measures by the Government which he criticised in Wales just a few short days ago. Either he’s had a recent and rapid Damascene conversion, or he was choosing to make a partisan attack during a global pandemic. This would be laughable if the situation was not so serious. It’s clear if the Government had, like the Welsh Government, taken heed of scientific advice sooner, England may now not be facing such a long period of lockdown.”

James Davies, rebutting the criticism, said: “In recent weeks, North Wales has had to contend with Welsh Government local lockdown rules These moves were made in the absence of clear, published data. It is my strong view there is no viable Wales only approach to dealing with the pandemic.

“Data collated over the last two weeks demonstrates a changing picture: infection rates are now rising across the whole country, particularly in areas so far less affected.

“Constituents regularly ask me why, in such a difficult situation, there is no single United Kingdom approach to this crisis. They see often arbitrary rules being imposed in Wales as an apparent demonstration of power, regardless of the impact on people’s businesses, wellbeing and livelihoods. This approach from Cardiff causes division, resentment and confusion.

“I reluctantly support the month-long "lockdown" in England, based on the persuasive argument that hospitals are now at risk of being over-run. We need to see the same data published for Wales.”