RUTH Jones, MP for Newport West, has called for Newport Conservatives to publicly condemn Prime Minister Boris Johnson for attending a garden party at Downing Street in May 2020.

Ms Jones says she has written to Cllr Matthew Evans, leader of Newport Conservatives, asking him to publicly condemn the Prime Minister and his team for the drinks event during lockdown.

The letter criticises the Prime Minister for attending the party and for his apology.

It says “it is behaviour that needs calling out, no matter political persuasion” and references how ordinary people were suffering at the time of the party.

Commenting on the letter, Mrs Jones said: "People across Newport West pulled together to protect lives and livelihoods as we came through some of the darkest months of the pandemic. 

"Bereaved families, our key workers and all those that diligently followed the rules have been mocked by Boris Johnson.

"Cllr Matthew Evans must choose - are they on the side of those who followed the rules to protect the NHS and save lives, or the out of touch Tory UK Government who treat them with contempt."

Cllr Evans disputed that he had received a letter and refused to be drawn into commenting directly on the party at Downing Street.

"We're locally elected representatives, 2e're not MPs and our job is to ensure we account to our residents on local issues and ensure that the labour and administration are held to account," said Cllr Evans.

"We're not going down this political point scoring game with MPs.

"We've got local elections coming up in May and we are doing what we can to concentrate on local issues which affect the residents of the city of Newport.

"If I were standing in a parliamentary election that would be fair point to raise and if I were standing as a member of the Welsh parliament, it might well be a question.

"But as far as I'm concerned, we are concentrating and will be concentrating on local issues about the state of the city centre, council tax, the environment - the issues which affect people's daily lives.

" What others want to do with their time is very much up to them."

READ MORE: