THE UK foreign secretary appeared riled by suggestions his government was leaving Wales out in the cold over fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Dominic Raab was answering questions at yesterday’s Number 10 coronavirus briefing when he dismissed suggestions the UK was leaving Wales to its own fate.

The enquiry came in the wake of first minister Mark Drakeford remarking that his government hadn’t spoken to its UK counterpart for a week.

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It also followed Mr Raab’s continued refusal to tell people in England not to travel to Wales, where lockdown rules have not been relaxed as they have over the border.

Asked if the UK Government was simply leaving devolved nations to their own fates, the foreign secretary said he “didn’t think that was right”.

He continued: “I don’t know the last time anyone in UK Government spoke to the Welsh executive.

“I don’t think it’s true, if you look at the amount of PPE we’ve helped deliver to nurses and people on the front line.

“What I will say is that this challenge of, as far as we possibly can, of setting the UK-wide approach, whilst also recognising the devolved competencies and the fact that judgements on the state of the virus will be different in different parts of the UK, is not unique to the UK.”

He said similar problems existed in Italy, Germany and France, but he said his government would “work the best we can”.

Mr Raab said there was a “huge depository of goodwill” between the four nations of the UK, adding: “Certainly on the UK side, we will want to continue that.”

Deputy chief medical officer Jonathen Van-Tam said he “didn’t recognise” a situation where UK Government didn’t speak to its Welsh equivalent.

He said he spoke to his opposite number in Wales “late last week” and expected to make contact again after the briefing.

He said: “I know that our chief medical officer for England is in pretty much daily contact with all of the devolved administrations.”