DAVID CAMERON'S new Cardiff-born Shadow Welsh Secretary spent her first day in the job yesterday denying an accusation she once suggested she was pleased to have ?got out? of Wales.

Labour?s Deputy Health Minister at the National Assembly, John Griffiths, alleged Cheryl Gillan had cast a slur on Wales by indicating she was glad to have left the country.

Mr Griffiths said he once met her at a conference when she joined a conversation about Wales, implying it was a principality not a country, and that she had ?managed to get out?.

Mr Griffiths contacted the Western Mail yesterday and said, ?In the early years of the Assembly I was at a conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. I think it was in Cardiff, but it may have been Edinburgh.

?I was having a conversation with someone, making the point that Wales is a country in its own right. Cheryl Gillan, who was also at the conference, happened to overhear what I said. She chipped in, saying that Wales was not a country but a principality. I insisted it was a country, at which point she said, ?I was born in Cardiff and know what I am talking about?.

?I responded, saying, ?Well I was born in Newport, represent it in the Welsh Assembly, and still live there?. She then said, ?Although I was born in Cardiff, I managed to get out?.

?It may be a few years ago, but the conversation has stuck with me. She chipped in to a conversation I was having with someone else, and insisted on pushing her opinions in what I thought was a pretty arrogant manner.

?When I heard she had been appointed Shadow Welsh Secretary, I thought, what is it with the Tories and Wales? They gave us John Redwood singing the National Anthem badly, Bill Wiggin saying he could see Wales from his constituency, and now an MP from Buckinghamshire who told me how she managed to get out of Wales. Don?t they ever learn??

Ms Gillan, who is the international treasurer of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, said, ?I?m almost laughing. I don?t even remember him, I?m afraid. It?s interesting that he can?t even remember whether this was supposed to have been said in Wales or Scotland.

?I certainly don?t remember a conversation like that. I can?t think I would have said what he claims because Wales is both a principality and a country. I think the Labour Party must be pretty desperate to come up with this.?

Asked whether she would have said she had ?got out? of Cardiff in the way alleged, Ms Gillan said, ?Hardly. I was born and educated there and my parents moved when I was 11. Actually, I remember being quite upset when we moved ? it was the first time I had done so.

?Quite frankly I don?t remember the gentleman, and I certainly don?t remember a conversation like that. It seems Labour in Wales are absolutely terrified of the Conservatives.?

Earlier Ms Gillan, who is MP for the prosperous commuter seat of Chesham and Amersham, told the Western Mail how she had fond memories of her days at Elm Tree House and Norfolk House primary schools in Cardiff, which she attended before going to Cheltenham Ladies? College, the well-known public school in England. Her uncle and cousin still farm in Monmouthshire.

She said, ?I was slotted in for a meeting with David Cameron at 2.10 on Thursday afternoon. He asked me if I would be prepared to serve in his Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Wales. I said I would be absolutely delighted to do the job as a Welsh expatriate. I don?t see myself as an English MP imported into Wales, but as a Welsh export coming home. I just felt really thrilled to be given such a challenge.?

Asked about her attitude to the Assembly, she said, ?At the time of the referendum I felt that not enough people had voted for it, but we?re now in 2005 and it will shortly be 2006. I think we have to be realistic and forward looking.

?I would like to see the Assembly delivering for Welsh people and Wales, with less bureaucracy, less administration, but more positive outcomes.

?In the coming weeks I will be consulting our AMs and Welsh MPs about their concerns. Obviously there will be disagreements about some things ? I was a member of John Major?s government, so I know about disagreements. But I want us to work as a team.

?I think it?s important to listen to others first. I don?t tend to shoot from the hip and hope to be positive. I try to approach everything with an open mind rather than an open mouth. I actually want to see what is best for Wales.?

Ms Gillan, who celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary with her husband Jack Leeming this week, said she had been telephoned by Peter Hain, the Cabinet Minister she will be shadowing.

?We know each other from his days as a Foreign Office Minister. He told me he was looking forward to doing business with me.?