CLAIMS First Minister Carwyn Jones asked Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn not to come to Wales in the closing days of the Assembly election campaign following allegations of anti-Semitism in the party have been refuted.

The Labour leader was due to visit Bridgend on Saturday, April 30, to throw his support behind his Welsh party colleagues.

But the visit has been axed in the midst of the controversy around former London mayor Ken Livingstone, who has been suspended from the party following claims he made anti-Semitic remarks.

Following the announcement claims were made that Mr Jones had asked Mr Corbyn not to come to Wales to avoid connecting the controversy with his Assembly election campaign.

But in a letter to members and supporters the First Minister said: "You may have seen some reports today about Jeremy Corbyn's planned visit to Wales being cancelled.

“Whilst that is the case, it is not right to say there is a 'bar' on Jeremy coming to Wales.

"There are incredibly serious issues for Jeremy to deal with in Westminster, and it is right and in the interests of the UK party that he stays there today and sorts this out.

"I give him my support in getting to grips with that today and commend him on the action he took yesterday."