Former Conservative leader and north Powys resident William Hague has given firm backing to Russell George in the upcoming Senedd election.

For almost a decade, Montgomeryshire has been represented by Mr George, who Lord Hague of Richmond says, "clearly" puts his constituency before politics.

"We have an excellent candidate. He is really experienced, very hardworking, and very well-known in the area. He's been highly active in recent years," he said.

"For someone like me who has been living in the area for six years, it's very noticeable. We really need members of Senedd that really stick at it day after day, and that's Russell."

Lord Hague and his wife Lady Ffion Hague live at Cyfronydd Hall surrounded by idyllic Welsh countryside and regularly pops into his nearest town of Welshpool to pick up a few things.

Russell George and William Hague visit to Coco Coffee House and the Celtic Company, Welshpool. Pictured with Rachel Bates (Celtic Company) Picture by Phil Blagg Photography. PB018-2021-25

Russell George and William Hague visit to Coco Coffee House and the Celtic Company, Welshpool. Pictured with Rachel Bates (Celtic Company) Picture by Phil Blagg Photography. PB018-2021-25

Russell George and William Hague visit to Coco Coffee House and the Celtic Company, Welshpool. Pictured with Anwen Parry (Powys County Times). Picture by Phil Blagg Photography. PB018-2021-16

Russell George and William Hague visit to Coco Coffee House and the Celtic Company, Welshpool. Pictured with Anwen Parry (Powys County Times). Picture by Phil Blagg Photography. PB018-2021-16

He spoke about mid Wales' "huge potential" for tourism while out campaigning in Welshpool on Tuesday (April 13), and he said that it is a "great area and often undiscovered by people in England".

And with pubs reopening across the border in England a fortnight ahead of Wales, Lord Hague said he thought that it would have been better for the governments of the devolved nations to have "a more common approach" to easing lockdown restrictions.

"I think it's a shame that they couldn't co-ordinate it better," he said. "It does seem a bit ridiculous to be different.

"It's not clear there's a good reason to be. Sometimes there is a good reason to be different, that's why we have devolution."

But he says the vaccination rollout across the country has been "our biggest success".

"What is really good is that the vaccination programme has been such a success for the UK. It would have been a more awkward situation if there were four different approaches to the vaccination.

"Governments have worked together well and some very big, important and successful decisions were made for the UK. It's been our biggest success."

The Senedd election will take place on May 6.