THE Prime Minister has angered Welsh political leaders after ruling out a travel ban between England and Wales to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford had urged Boris Johnson to ban people travelling from Covid-19 hotspots in England to Wales – but the Tory leader rejected the call.
People living in locked down parts of Wales are only permitted to leave with a “reasonable excuse” – but there is no similar rule in areas facing additional restrictions in England.
The rules mean that people living in lockdown in England can go on holiday to Wales – but people living in Wales cannot go on holiday to England.
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Johnson said he did not want to “impose travel restrictions within the UK generally”.
He went on: "We are all one country, people should exercise their common sense.
"They should follow the guidance. And that's what we're going to do."
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price slammed Johnson’s comments, particularly the claim that “we are all one country” despite different coronavirus rules being in place between the four nations.
“Arrogance personified,” he tweeted.
“Independence means Wales never being ruled by an Old Etonian Tory ever again. Now that’s a ban we can all get behind.”
Drakeford had said it was “fair” to have the same rules implemented on both sides of the Welsh border
"As we act to prevent people who live in hot spots in Wales from travelling to England, and taking the risk of the virus with them, so the prime minister ought to do the same to prevent people from English hot spots from travelling elsewhere because of the risk that that undoubtedly poses,” he told members of the Senedd on Monday.
Local lockdowns now cover more than 2 million people living in 16 different areas in north and south Wales.
New restrictions came in for Neath Port Talbot, Torfaen and the Vale of Glamorgan last week.
Restrictions were already in place across Cardiff, Swansea, Llanelli, Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Newport, and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
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