A Labour minister has been criticised for saying people on low incomes can’t afford to go sports matches or the cinema.

During a debate over the extension of Covid passes in Wales in the Senedd last night, Cardiff MS Jenny Rathbone said: “People on the lowest incomes are not able to go to the matches. Either the rugby, the football, or the cinema. Let’s get real on this one.”

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Sport, Culture and Tourism, Tom Giffard MS, has today hit back at the comment, saying: “Labour’s shocking comments in the Senedd yesterday show what they really think of working-class people and families on low incomes.

“To assume and say low income families can’t afford to go to the cinema or the rugby and football is offensive and is indicative of the current Labour Party.

“Anyone who has been to the cinema, or to a rugby or football game would know that is totally untrue, but it’s yet another indication of how out of touch the modern Labour Party is with working class communities.

“Vaccine passports are going to have an impact on everyone in Wales regardless of their income and to say otherwise is simply wrong.

“We voted against these passes being extended for a wide range of reasons and it is disappointing Plaid Cymru helped Labour slip this through by making a U-turn on their voting, especially given ministers couldn’t provide any evidence of their effectiveness in Wales.”

He went on to point out that tickets to watch Cardiff City vs Hull FC cost just £17, tickets to watch Wrexham play football only cost £20 and you can watch Wales’ rugby team take on Fiji this weekend for just £20.