Boris Johnson says 'Wales will get what it needs' to repair flood communities

Boris Johnson said "Wales will get what it needs" to repair and rebuild after a number of communities were devastated by recent floods.

In an interview with ITV Wales as he visited the Welsh Conservative conference in Llangollen, the prime minister said the UK Government is working with the Welsh Government on repairing flooded communities that were hit by Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis in February.

"We'll be making another £4bn available overall to building new flood defences and we'll make sure Wales has what it needs to sort out every eventuality", he said.

"We're putting record sums into flood defences and flood remediation of all kinds.

"I understand Simon Hart, the Welsh Secretary is talking to Mark Drakeford about what they need and on a UK-wide level, we're putting huge sums in."

Following the floods, a number of Welsh politicians wrote to Chancellor Rishi Sunak appealing for £30m to help with the efforts to rebuild.

Mr Johnson faced criticism in the aftermath of the storms, which also flooded communities in places such as Herefordshire and Worcestershire, for not visiting areas damaged in the severe weather.

On the increasing number of cases of coronavirus across the UK, Boris Johnson said they have been working with the Welsh Government to produce the "battle plan"

"We're still at the contain stage and the advice very much to people is if you think you have symptoms, your best to stay at home and call the NHS.

"If you do need hospitalisation, we'll make sure the NHS has all the support and funding it needs.

"If you've come back from a high risk area, Italy as an example, and you have symptoms, stay at home.

"Wash your hands twice - sing the national anthem - Land of my Fathers - with hot water and soap."

During a brief speech to the Welsh Conservative conference, he joked the "dominant voice in Downing Street" is Welsh - his Jack Russell rescue dog Dilyn.

"He's the randiest and most voluble Welsh occupant of Number 10 since Lloyd George. Now Dilyn is part of a vast Welsh Conservative movement because three months ago, this party recorded its biggest share of the vote in Wales since 1918."

Speaking in Llangollen for less than ten minutes, the Prime Minister dismissed the First Minister, Mark Drakeford, as a “desiccated Corbynista”.

Boris Johnson also said the Tories would make sure that an M4 relief road is built around Newport. He described the Brynglas Tunnels as the “Welsh Dragon’s nostrils, which needed unblocking."