A top Tory is facing a standards probe after a regional news website fact-checked comments he made about child migrants.

A “preliminary investigation” has been launched by the Welsh Parliament’s standards commissioner into Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies over the comments, which were made on GB News.

Mr Davies, pictured, had claimed the Labour-led Welsh Government is “dishing out £1,600 to anyone who wants to rock up and claim they are crossing the channel illegally”.

However, a fact-checking piece published by Wales Online revealed the allegation is not true.

Instead, the Reach plc-owned website’s Welsh affairs editor Will Hayward explained Mr Davies was alluding to a Welsh Government basic income pilot to provide young people leaving care – including some unaccompanied asylum-seeking children – with a basic income payment of £1,600 per month.

The standards investigation has been launched after the fact-check, following a complaint from a member of the public.

Will told HTFP: “Andrew RT Davies is the leader of the opposition here in Wales. It is the job of journalists to scrutinise the words of politicians, especially those who are seeking to lead our country.

“The issue of immigration is incredibly emotive and I felt it was important to provide objective analysis of the comments surrounding it.”

When approached by Wales Online the Welsh Conservatives declined to comment, saying the process was ongoing and that it would be “entirely inappropriate” and could “risk undermining the integrity of the standards process”.