UK's governments should meet weekly during Covid-19 crisis says First Minister

The First Minister has called for regular meetings of the UK’s four governments with a warning that otherwise Wales could make its own decision on extending or easing lockdown.

Speaking at the Welsh Government’s daily coronavirus briefing, Mark Drakeford revealed that he’d written to the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove.

In his letter he called for a new weekly pattern of decision-making in the handling of the covid-19 crisis.

  • Start of the week: Officials from UK and devolved governments to meet

  • Mid-week: Leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to meet UK Government ministers and Mayor of London

  • End of the week: Cobra meeting

The First Minister said he'd prefer decisions to made on a UK-wide basis by all governments together.

Currently leaders of the governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland take part in Cobra meetings but other discussions are held on an ad-hoc basis.

However last week's decision on extending the lockdown was taken following the above pattern. Officials held talks on Monday, leaders met on Wednesday and Cobra was held on Thursday.

Mark Drakeford said that pattern worked well.

He added that he thought it was the ''best way'' to secure a four-nation agreement on how to move beyond lockdown.

A UK Government spokesperson responded by saying that the four governments ARE working closely together.