THE FIRST MINISTER, Mark Drakeford, has this afternoon (Monday, June 15) confirmed he hasn’t had any contact with the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson in almost three weeks.
It was during the Welsh Government’s daily briefing, when Mr Drakeford made the omission.
The briefings are part of the Welsh Government’s lead up to the impending lockdown review.
The current restrictions in Wales are in place until June 18, with an announcement expected by the First Minister on Friday, June 19.
Responding directly to a question from the media on whether Wales was being kept in the loop from across the border, or whether they were ‘going it alone’ Mr Drakeford admitted he last spoke to Boris Johnson on May 28.
Mr Drakeford also said the contact between himself and the Prime Minister had been in ‘fits and starts’.
He added that they had been in the ‘stop part of the cycle’ for more than two weeks now.
He said “I last spoke to the Prime Minister two weeks ago last Thursday, which is nearly three weeks ago.
“I have had no discussions with any UK ministers offered in the weeks that have followed”
Also adding there had been no invitation to speak to any other UK minister for the rest of this week.
Although health minister Vaughan Gething has been having weekly contact with UK Health Ministers, and Mr Drakeford has been in regular contact with the Secretary of State for Wales.
Ken Skates, Economy minister, has previously suggested non-essential retail businesses will have clarity on when they may be able to re-open their doors to the public, after the next phase of the lockdown review.
Many tourism and restaurants businesses across the country are also calling for more clarification, with fears many in the industry will not survive past the Covid-19 pandemic.
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