MP hits out at five-mile ruling

Montgomeryshire MP, Craig Williams, has hit out at Welsh Government plans to only permit a five-mile journey to see friends and family.

Mr Williams said that the decision announced today, and to be imposed from June 1, penalises rural communities like Montgomeryshire and has called on First Minister Mark Drakeford to think again.

“Whilst I very much welcome the decision by the Welsh Government to begin to ease the current lockdown restrictions in Wales by allowing two households to meet outdoors, the inclusion of a five-mile restriction adversely penalises rural areas such as Montgomeryshire,” said Mr Williams.

“Whereas the Welsh Labour Government might only be thinking of the towns and cities within South Wales, much of Wales is populated by rural communities who do not live within five-miles of their family and friends. It is wrong to impose a rule that only benefits some sections of Wales’ population, yet directly punishes others.

“I very much hope that the Welsh Government will review this decision urgently, so as to allow everyone within Wales and Montgomeryshire to see their family friends from next week.”

The decision is even more frustrating considering that today only two new positive cases have been reported for the whole of Powys, making a total of just 283 since the first was recorded on March 11.