The Welsh health minister has insisted he has not broken lockdown rules after being photographed out with his family eating chips in a park.
Vaughan Gething said the family had gone for a walk near home at the weekend and stopped for a takeaway because his young son was hungry.
Speaking at the Welsh government’s daily press conference, Gething said: “I went for a walk with my family as many of us have done over the weekend. My son was on his scooter. We went local to ourselves.
“We stopped for food on the way. All of those things are within the regulations. There’s absolutely no breach of the guidance or the rules.”
Vaughan Gething MS
(@vaughangething)Really disappointing that @TheSun are planning to print a photo of me on a walk with my wife and young son on the weekend. Our 5 year old was hungry and we bought some chips – all within the rules.
Exercise during the lockdown is a hugely sensitive matter in Wales. From Wednesday people in England are allowed to exercise as often they like and drive to places for a run, walk or cycle.
The Welsh government has said people should not travel by vehicle to exercise unless there is a good reason for doing so and has urged people living in England not to travel to Wales to visit the hills or beaches.
Gething said he had been contacted by a UK tabloid about photographs of him in the park.
He said: “It’s really disappointing in the middle of a global pandemic when more than 1,100 people have lost their lives in Wales and more to come and difficult complex choices to be made every day to have a deliberately unhelpful inquiry from a journalist from a national newspaper who wants to suggest I have done something wrong when I haven’t.
“I think that all of us need to be better than this. There’s not a single thing that that journalist is proposing to write that would help save a single life or would help the public with the key message about continuing to follow the lockdown rules.”
The Welsh government said walking a couple of miles was exercising locally and buying takeaway food was allowed under its regulations. It was also permissible to sit down and eat takeaway food while exercising with family members.
A spokesperson said: “Absolutely nothing the minister is reported to have done contravenes Welsh government regulations. Walking and eating food along the way with members of your household is allowed.”
Last month Gething accidentally broadcast a sweary rant about one of his colleagues during a virtual session of Welsh parliament.