Covid: Wales-wide lockdown questioned by Tories

Ten Conservative MPs have written to the first minister questioning a Wales-wide lockdown after Christmas.

From 28 December, people will be told to stay home, with all but essential shops closed in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus.

But a number of Welsh Tories have said nationwide rules are "disproportionate" in areas with low infection rates.

Mental Health Minister Eluned Morgan said Wales needs to start the post-Christmas lockdown "as one nation".

However ministers have conceded that some regional variations may be possible in the future.

The backbenchers asked for evidence to support the all-Wales approach when they say infection rates "are vastly different among regions".

It comes after the rules over Christmas were tightened, with non-essential shops to close at 18:00 GMT on Christmas Eve, hospitality at the same time 24 hours later and level four restrictions imposed from December 28.

Between 23-27 December two households, plus a single-person household, can meet for the festive period and people can travel to visit family elsewhere in the UK, where up to three households can meet.

Political leaders across the UK are urging people to show restraint and meet fewer households than the rules allow, for shorter periods of time.

The Tory MPs say in their letter many of their constituents feel Mark Drakeford's decisions are "disproportionate" in many parts of Wales.

They added: "The measures will have a devastating impact in several ways, and will ultimately prove futile, having caused needless societal and economic harm."

They go on to say previous requests for evidence supporting Welsh Government decision-making have been met with "obfuscation, diversion and delay".

They acknowledge ministers have to make challenging decisions but claim the measures drawn up in Wales "do not appear evidenced, proportionate or consistent, even within our own borders".

Mr Drakeford has previously stated there could be regional or localised differences in the future, if the evidence points to sustained differences between areas.

Ms Morgan told the Welsh Government's daily news briefing that Wales needs to start the post-Christmas lockdown "as one nation" with the same rules.

"It's absolutely right that we look at places like Anglesey and Conwy where the virus levels are low, but for the time being we are absolutely determined to make sure we go into these restrictions as one nation," she said.

"It may be later that we think about phasing coming out at different levels but that depends on how the virus behaves in the next few weeks."

She added that we were "all inter-dependent as a nation" with the virus likely to move between areas.