Politician Neil Hamilton has joined a row over the future of Welsh independence in a letter to Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams calling for a referendum on the Senedd.

The Mid and West Wales MS wrote an open letter to Mr Williams asking him to join him in demanding a vote on the Senedd in 2024 – which would mark 25 years since the creation of the devolved assembly.

He wrote the letter in the wake of comments made by MP Daniel Kawczynski, who had complained about Wales making its own lockdown rules – preventing his constituents from getting to the beach.

In it, the Ukip MS says the Westminster Government is unlikely to provide more cash for the Welsh Government at Cardiff because "that delivers few if any votes at Westminster". He also says Wales is in effect a "one-party state" run by Labour because it is supported by Plaid Cymru – which he says is a "cheap date".

And he also backs Mr Kawczynski by saying that while devolution is primarily a Welsh matter, "English MPs whose constituents are adversely affected have every right to join the argument for beneficial constitutional change".

In a statement accompanying the letter, Mr Hamilton said: "Devolution ensures a permanent Labour Government, in Wales.

"The electoral system ensures the Tories can’t win an outright Senedd majority. But Plaid Cymru rules out a coalition with the Tories and always props up Labour as necessary.

"Why on earth does a Welsh Tory MP support something which condemns his party to eternal impotence?

"For 40 years, Tory leaders ignored voters’ opposition to EU membership. The same goes for devolution, 56 per cent of Tory voters want to scrap the Senedd but their leaders don’t want to know. Tory voters should revolt against their timid leaders, just as they did over the EU.

"A hard-hitting devolution referendum campaign could be a dose of Viagra for the Tories’ limp leadership.

"We restored Britain’s independence by leaving the EU. Now let’s put the UK back together again by scrapping a devolution project which is tearing the country apart.

"The Senedd was created in 1999 – a generation ago. We need a People’s Vote in 2024 to give a verdict on 25 of years of failure under Labour/Plaid control and get Wales moving forwards."

Mr Hamilton's contribution also follows the defection of Powys councillor Claire Mills from the Conservatives to the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party.