TORFAEN MP Nick Thomas-Symonds said he was honoured to accept the position of shadow home secretary, and looks forward to providing "constructive and responsible opposition" to the government.

Mr Thomas-Symonds, from Blaenavon, said he received a call from the new Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, on Sunday, and was asked to take up the shadow cabinet position.

"I was honoured to accept," he said. "Keeping the public safe is the top priority of any government, and it is a great responsibility be asked to scrutinise that in the interests of all our people."

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The ongoing coronavirus outbreak dominates every aspect of current politics, and the Torfaen MP said his new responsibilities would balance co-operation with government scrutiny.

After being named Labour leader on Saturday, Mr Starmer quickly pledged to work "constructively" with the Conservative government to deal with the crisis, but said "serious mistakes" had been made in the UK's response so far.

Mr Thomas-Symonds vowed to work with the government during the crisis "to save lives" but would continue to ask the necessary difficult questions "to ensure that government decision-making is properly scrutinised".

He added: "This is always crucial, but is even more important at a time when the government has taken on a set of powers to deal with the public health emergency that are unprecedented in peacetime."

Mr Thomas-Symonds praised the work of the NHS, emergency services, and other front-line workers for their efforts during the virus outbreak; but said it was important to remember day-to-day policing was continuing "in the most difficult of circumstances".

"There must still be a focus on dealing with serious crime, and I share the concerns of many people about domestic violence during this period of enforced social distancing," he said.

Women's charities have warned that perpetrators of domestic abuse will use the ongoing isolation period as a “tool of coercive and controlling behaviour”.

Looking to his new role, Mr Thomas-Symonds said the new shadow cabinet would fulfil Mr Starmer's promise of representing different strands of opinion from across the Parliamentary Labour Party.

"The shadow cabinet will offer robust scrutiny of ministers and put itself forward as an alternative government at the next general election," he added.