Lockdown: Wales could open parts of economy before England, FM says

The latest lockdown started in Wales just before Christmas

There could be "opportunities" to open some of the economy earlier in Wales compared with England, the first minister has said.

Mark Drakeford said he would not want to deny firms the chance to resume trading while he waits "for somebody else to be in the position we have already arrived at".

He said coronavirus rates in Wales are "significantly lower" than in England.

Under Welsh plans hairdressers and some shops may reopen on 15 March.

That is earlier than England, which does not plan to open hairdressers and non-essential shops until 12 April.

However the Welsh government has been criticised for not laying out a more detailed plan for exiting lockdown.

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Speaking at the Welsh Affairs Select Committee at Westminster, Mr Drakeford said lifting lockdown restrictions would be "broadly aligned" across the whole of the UK and all governments would look to reopen parts of society "as conditions allow".

He said Wales may be able to "restore some economic activity earlier than the prime minister's roadmap currently suggests".

"I wouldn't want to deny businesses in Wales the chance to get back trading because we were waiting for somebody else to be in the position we had already arrived at."

Mr Drakeford, who was speaking to the committee from self-isolation after coming into contact with someone with Covid-19, also told the committee that his relationship with the prime minister was "remote".

He said he had only met the prime minister "once myself".

He said: "The remoteness isn't just in that way, I'm afraid we rarely have a meeting of minds."

He told the committee that there were some areas where the UK government engagement with Welsh ministers had been "good", and there were some places where it "falls far short of what would be properly expected".

Mr Drakeford said his "anxiety" about the lack of regular engagement between the Prime Minister and other parts of the United Kingdom it was that, without that architecture, "the security of the United Kingdom becomes more difficult".

In response, Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb said Welsh Secretary Simon Hart had described an "opening of doors" within UK government to the devolved nations during the pandemic but that this was "not reciprocated."

Mr Drakeford said he "wouldn't accept that characterisation".

"When the UK government is discussing matters in which there are devolved responsibilities at stake, then to greater or lesser extents we get invited to participate in those meetings."

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, said the first minister should urgently provide a roadmap for reopening businesses, instead of a "drip, drip of information" in committees.

"Thousands of livelihoods are on the line so if we can act to save Welsh jobs then Labour ministers should do so," he said.