MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Fay Jones has taken aim at Welsh Labour over the pollution of the River Wye, claiming that they do not value rural areas.

The Conservative MP hit out at Welsh Labour for their response to the pollution issues surrounding the river, stating that a Member of the Senedd from a different party has never formally met her to discuss the matter,

This comes following reports that high phosphorous levels in the soil from chicken farms that are near the site could be polluting the river that traverses across both Wales and England.

Fay Jones MP said: “I think it shows ministers in Cardiff bay do not value rural areas, for instance, the A479 that was closed for almost a year and a half, if that was in Cardiff or Swansea or Wrexham it would have been made a priority because it was up here where we are out of sight and out of mind, we are not a priority for them.

“I have asked for that meeting countless times over the three years I’ve been in office.

“Mark Drakeford used to make a big deal around the fact that he had never met Boris Johnson, when in fact, in my three years I have never met a member of the Senedd in a formal capacity other than a fellow Conservative party member.

“We all need to start working together, my constituents don’t say that Westminster should be focusing on taxation and foreign policy, they don’t care who does these jobs, we should just be making sure they’re done.”

Ms Jones claims that the issue regarding the Wye comes as a result of its location.

With the river situated across the Wales - England border, it falls under the jurisdiction of the powers that be in Westminster, as well as the Senedd down in Cardiff Bay.

This disconnect has meant that while the plans to improve the state of the river are homogenous, neither party can seem to agree.

When questioned on why that was the case, despite the common view that there needs to be an improvement, the MP for Brecon and Radnorshire pointed the blame at the Senedd once more.

“The Welsh Labour government hasn’t matched our environmental act.

“They need to first come to the negotiation table, because if they don’t nothing will get done, and secondly, they need to replicate the legislature we have in England.

“Labour gets off scot-free as they are responsible in Wales for the rivers due to devolution, they always like to claim in Westminster that the Conservative government isn’t taking environmental matters seriously enough when they have the power in Wales and aren’t coming to the table to negotiate.”