Fay Jones, MP for Brecon & Radnorshire requested Boris Johnson to “encourage” travel and to stop the Welsh Government creating artificial barriers between Wales and England.
Fay Jones said “Brecon and Radnorshire has around 50 miles border between Wales and England. My constituents who are in lockdown regularly travel across the border for work, healthcare and education. Can my Right Honourable Friend confirm that essential travel across the border is not only permitted but also encouraged and that the Welsh government should not be using this pandemic to create artificial barriers between Wales and England.”
Boris Johnson replied “Urr, Umm, Uhh, Mr. Speaker I’m, I, I understand the frustrations that err my honrouable friend has and I know err how deeply difficult it is for uhh people throughout this country to go through the restriction err on this normal way of life that we have and we are asking people to err to do again and I apologise to her and to the err house in what we are obliged to do but err we must ask people unless its absolutely necessary err to stay at home and err stop transmission of the virus and that err that applies throughout the UK”
On her Facebook page, people again showed their disgust towards Fays actions and made many comments. In an attempt to negate the negative comments towards her, Fay Jones replied “My question was misunderstood. I want to make sure that my constituents are still able to access work, health care and education. The statement from the First Minister today creates some impression that there is a solid border between the two countries. This is not the case and people need to know they can visit Hereford Hospital or Shrewsbury Hospital for treatment, particularly when appointments are at an all time low. Hospital appointments must not be missed, businesses should be encouraged to continue operating following Covid guidelines and education must continue.”
Fay Jones’s attempts to negate and deflect criticisms of why she requested that people from England should be encouraged to cross the border into Wales and vice versa were met with people pointing out that her claim that people need to know they can visit hospitals, education are allowed and have always been allowed.
Here we have a Conservative MP in Wales who has openly shown her disregard for the Welsh Government in requesting that Boris Johnson encourage travel across the border. Fay Jones has previously shown her disregard for laws in her vote to break international law which has been condemned here: www.janedodds.wales/internal-market-bill
