Andrew RT Davies: The former Leader of the Welsh Conservatives believes we we are not fighting enough.

Before he reached infamy for being the man in charge when the disastrous 20mph speed limits were implemented across Wales, Mark Drakeford entered the public consciousness during the pandemic.

He was, then, the First Minister of Wales, and gave regular press conferences, setting out the most recent measures the Welsh Government were taking during the pandemic.

This is because in Wales, health policies are decided by the Welsh Government, so it was the Labour Welsh Government that was responsible for the pandemic response

Drakeford was regularly accused of implementing pandemic measures that were different to England, just for the sake of making Wales different to England. It was a way of the Welsh Government showing people who was in charge and flexing their muscles.

One example of this was when the Welsh Government banned supermarkets from selling what they deemed to be non-essential items, leading to dystopian photographs of clothing and books in shops being covered up. In England, no such ban was implemented.

Similarly, in 2020, the Welsh Government implemented a rule that said people should not travel more than five miles, which was a much more extreme measure than in England, where the guidance was to stay local, but no specific mileage limit was set.

And as a result of these differences, individuals had to wait longer and longer.

While some of these measures were welcomed in Wales, because people felt that they were being kept safe, the evidence doesn’t point to them making a substantial difference.

These different measures in Wales were used to constantly remind people in Wales that the border between England and Wales mattered substantially.

And the Welsh Government are at it again.

From the 1^st of July, the UK Government designated England as a bluetongue restricted zone.

Bluetongue is a virus that affects livestock. It cannot infect humans, and it is not transmitted between animals. It is transmitted by midges biting animals while carrying the virus.

The virus is expected to spread over the summer months, and by designating all of England as a restricted zone, the UK Government has ensured farmers in all of England’s counties can continue to trade livestock, rather than limiting movements on a county-by-county basis.

Within England’s zone, farmers will still be able to move animals without extra red tape like additional licences or pre-movement tests. While I’m no fan of Starmer, this is a pragmatic measure that balances the risks.

But rural affairs, like health, is a devolved issue, so it is up to the Welsh Government to decide how they respond to the threat of bluetongue in Wales.

The sensible thing to do is have Wales join England’s restricted zone, so animals can continue to be traded between farmers and farms across the border, maintaining the trade routes that keep our livestock industry moving and thriving.

But yet again, just like during the pandemic, the Labour Welsh Government have decided to use this opportunity to stand in between the Welsh and the English.

Despite accepting that they cannot keep bluetongue out of Wales, Welsh Ministers have decided to restrict any bluetongue-susceptible animals from entering Wales without a specific movement licence and a pre-movement test.

As farmers will know, this is a disastrous decision, sacrificing our agricultural trade at the altar of stupidity.

Placing a hard-border on livestock movements between England and Wales is insanity, not just because there is so much trade across the border, but also because the virus is not spread from animal to animal.

As we know, it is spread by midges. Those tiny insects that live up to 20 days if they’re lucky will not respect the England and Wales border, and even the Welsh Government know that these measures will not keep the virus out.

But now, to satisfy Welsh Government Ministers’ obsession with being noticed and showing off their powers, farmers will have to fork out around fifty quid a pop for virus tests, which are carried out in one lab in the country (which is closed on weekends and bank holidays) and once a test is acquired it’s only valid for seven days.

This not just a bureaucratic nightmare, it is a disaster for farmers, for livestock auctioneers and for livestock hauliers.

The Welsh Government is yet again behaving like a jumped-up prefect, desperate to remind everyone they are in charge, and to hell with the consequences on working people. Meanwhile, even the Plaid Cymru nationalists, who are desperate to tear our Union apart, think putting in place a hard border on livestock movements it’s the wrong move.

Many people will also wonder whether it’s just a coincidence that the UK Climate Change Committee has provided advice to the Welsh Government on achieving Net Zero that includes a reduction in cattle and sheep numbers by 19%. This fresh attack on livestock farming may go some way to achieving that drop as livestock farmers go out of business.

Bluetongue is not a national emergency. It is an unfortunate virus that can in some cases cause death among animals. Often, however, it simply goes away, and the animals return to health and remain safe for human consumption.

We cannot regulate midges or their activities, and so we will not stop its spread. So we have absolutely no need for a hard border between England and Wales, unless our aim is to satisfy the vanity of a select few in Cardiff Bay.

We should have a Wales and England restriction zone, so cross border trade can continue, and we can work together in limiting the spread of this virus while also ensuring our trading routes remain intact.

Yet again, policy making in Cardiff Bay puts nation building ahead of everything else

But rural affairs, like health, is a devolved issue, so it is up to the Welsh Government to decide how they respond to the threat of bluetongue in Wales.