Leominster MP Bill Wiggin plunged straight into a cross-border row with a neighbour following his appointment as Shadow Secretary of State for Wales by Tory leader Michael Howard.

Roger Williams the Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon & Radnor taunted Mr Wiggin that "the Tories are split from top to bottom over the Welsh Assembly."

He said Mr Wiggin's boss, Mr Howard, opposed devolution for the Welsh "with great relish."

Mr Wiggin said: "Roger Williams is desperate to attack me because his job is on the line.

"I know him well from our days on the Welsh affairs select committee and he is aware that he is in trouble.

"I have been given the job of Shadow Secretary of State for Wales because I know and care about Wales and will campaign successfully to win seats there. His seat is one of our top targets."

It was a mistake for opponents like Mr Williams to suggest that the Conservative party was split. "Those days are behind us," said Mr Wiggin.

The Leominster MP came under a hail of fire from political foes and sections of the media on his appointment.

One paper dubbed him "an English Tory toff."

The MP said he had strong links with Wales having been a university student at Bangor and serving in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers TA. He has been on the Welsh Affairs select committee for two years. Many of his border constituents had 'Welsh roots.'

"This is not as alien for me as it is for some," said Mr Wiggin. Labour Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain was South African and combined the Welsh job with being leader of the commons.

Mr Wiggin will be a full timer.

He leaves his former role as his party's environment spokesman with some regret but was delighted with his promotion to shadow Secretary of State level, though it is not a shadow Cabinet post.

On the future and the scope of powers of the Welsh Assembly he said the jury was still out. "We must all wait for the Richards commission to report," he said.

Good advice

BACK-BENCH Conservative MP John Redwood believes Bill Wiggin should 'hit the road' in his new position of Shadow Welsh Secretary.

Mr Redwood, himself a former Welsh Secretary, has already given a piece of advice to the Leominster MP.

"I have had a word with Bill and told him that I am there if he needs anything," said Mr Redwood, the MP for Wokingham, who visited Herefordshire last week and was the guest speaker at a public meeting in Ross.

"I had a lot of fun in the two years or so that I was in the role and made some good decisions," said Mr Redwood. "Wales is a smashing place and I have told Bill to get back on the road and meet the people."

Labour MPs have already poked fun at Mr Wiggin, something that once happened to Mr Redwood after he attempted to sing the Welsh National Anthem.

"Opposition MPs love to poke fun at you whenever they can, and I think it is difficult for anyone to sing without the help of a backing track," said Mr Redwood, referring to the incident.