UK doing its bit to save migrants, says Hague on visit to region

Mr Hague, 54, who is stepping down as an MP after the election, was speaking on a visit to Newtown, where he was campaigning with Conservative candidate Glyn Davies.

He said: "Britain is doing its bit. The Prime Minister has offered naval ships, including HMS Bulwark, the flagship of the Royal Navy, to help rescue people.

"The moral imperative is to save lives, but that doesn't mean that when rescued the people can claim asylum here."

His comments came after Ed Miliband controversially accused David Cameron and other world leaders of failing to stand by Libya, contributing in part to the crisis in the Mediterranean.

The Labour leader said the UK had repeated the same mistakes "in post-conflict planning" for Libya as were made in Iraq and the current refugee situation should have been anticipated.

David Cameron has since said military action backed up by improved intelligence on people smugglers is needed to help ease the Mediterranean migrant crisis.

The Prime Minister said there is not "one single answer" to solve the problem, with more needed on top of search and rescue operations.

Mr Davies is standing for re-election as the MP for Montgomeryshire and Mr Hague said he didn't think it was possible for the area to have a better MP.

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Mr Hague said: "Glyn has a tremendous reputation and has been a hard working MP for Montgomeryshire.

"He has done so much for local people over the past five years and that gives him a huge advantage going into the election.

"When I walk around the town I see that everyone knows him and, as the local papers report, he is always doing things.

"He is very active on health matters, particularly the cross-border issues, and also with transport, where he managed to get the bypass sorted."

Mr Hague and Mr Davies spoke to residents and visited several businesses in the town on Saturday, including the Alaven Leathershop in High Street.

The shop is run by Mary Tudor, chairwoman of the Newtown Chamber of Trade, who spoke about the two issues that she believes most affect business in the town.

She said: "Although the bypass will help when it opens, we still have to win back the customers who have been driven away by the congestion.

"Business rates are also an issue. In England business owners get 100 per cent tax relief if their property's rateable value is less than £12,000, but in Wales we only get 33 per cent."

Mr Hague said that a major part of Conservative policy for the assembly elections is to introduce a major rate relief scheme for small businesses.

The politicians also enjoyed a coffee in Evans Café in Broad Street, which is run by Gian Antoniazzi.

He said: "It was nice to meet Mr Hague, he has a strong personality and he was very good on Question Time.

"But he hasn't made me mind up about who I am going to vote for. I remain undecided."

William Hague first came to public prominence when he gave a speech at the Conservative Party Conference in 1977 aged just 16.

He went on to be elected MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, and then in 1997 became leader of the Conservative Party, a position he resigned from after Labour's landslide victory of 2001.

Mr Hague said: "I am stepping down after 26 years in parliament, having done pretty much everything I could have done in politics.

"But I will still support the Conservative Party, I will be there if they need me and will also keep working on global issues, particularly preventing sexual violence."

Mr Hague and his wife Ffion recently bought Cyfronydd Hall, which is in the countryside between Welshpool and Llanfair Caereinion.

He said: "My wife has always wanted us to have a house in Wales and we are looking forward to meeting more local people.

"After the election is over I want to focus on the other things I enjoy, like writing, and one of the reasons for buying the house was that it is a great place to write."

When considering his life beyond politics, he said wasn't convinced by David Cameron's remark that he would make an excellent James Bond.

Mr Hague said: "I still do a bit of judo, but I am not sure I have all the other qualities – and could you have a bald James Bond?"

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