Welsh Conservatives: New chairman says devolution debate ‘closed’

In response, Davies said members had contacted him “furious at these baseless remarks”.

He said if he believes members back devolution, he could put the issue to bed with a members vote on the subject, or give members a vote at the next AGM.

“I suggest he will do neither for the obvious reason that we are a devosceptic party led by a devophile elite,” he said.

The chairman was elected through an electoral college of grassroots party officials, which Davies said was a “tiny fraction of members at the top of the party”.

Another grassroots member, Newport councillor David Fouweather, accused Gentry of living in “cloud cuckoo land if he thinks that most Conservative members back devolution”.

“If Gentry thinks his position on devolution is right then he should put himself forward to a vote of all party members in Wales. This new Chairman is as out of touch as our MS group, who are also allergic to making themselves accountable to members in selections.”

“The pro-devolution minority at the top of the party seem to be determined to provoke a civil war with ordinary members,” he added.