MONMOUTH Assembly Member Nick Ramsay has come under fire for comments made referring to the recent election success of the Brexit Party as ridiculous and calling for Wales to "wake up".

In a Tweet posted shortly following the election results Mr Ramsay said: "Ridiculous the Brexit Party doing well in Wales. Says more about ignorance about politics than anything else. Wake up Wales!"

Mr Ramsay’s thought sparked significant response on social media with one person replying: "We can’t lose heavily and then say it’s because of the ignorance of the electorate. If a party loses seats they have to look at themselves first. To say it’s the electorate’s fault will mean further loses."

Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, Monmouthshire County Council’s Labour group leader, told the Beacon Mr Ramsay’s comments were a "lazy explanation" for the election result.

"Calling all Brexit voters ignorant is not only insulting, but also a lazy explanation for why people disagree with Mr Ramsay," he said. "Many feel let down by an economic system that has never delivered for them and struggle to trust any of the mainstream parties who look like they are protecting that system. In that scenario, why on earth would you vote for the status quo? That’s rational, not ignorant.

"Many of the residents I represent voted for Brexit. We have to come up with solutions, not insults."

This is off the back of an unusually low result for the Conservatives in the European Election pulling in just 3,431 votes coming in behind the Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats.

Richard John, Conservative county councillor for Mitchel Troy and cabinet member, remarked on the result: "It’s still astonishing that Plaid Cymru came within 167 votes of beating the Conservatives into fourth place in Monmouthshire".

Monmouth MP David Davies referred to the results as an "unmitigated disaster" for the Conservatives on his website, although also remarked the outcome as a public affirmation for Brexit.

Mr Ramsay clarified in response to the backlash: "I think it’s a big wake-up call to all of us in Welsh politics that a new, single issue party did so well in the elections.

"We as politicians can always learn from times like this, and must act now to reach out and listen to voters.

"Clearly the mainstream parties haven’t adequately responded to the concerns that are out there over Brexit, and I certainly recognise that it’s time for improved communications."

"I called on the Welsh political sphere to wake up, as we as politicians can always learn from times like this. We must act now to reach out, take notice, and listen to voters."

This is in contrast to the 2014 elections where the Conservatives came first in the Monmouth constituency ahead of UKIP who, this year, came last place in Monmouthshire with just 802 votes.

This election saw unusual results for a number of parties including Labour who came in sixth behind the Brexit Party, Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and the Greens.

More people headed to the polls than in previous elections ,with the turnout at 37.1 per cent, up 5.6 per cent on the previous EU election in 2014.