Welsh FM invites Plaid to help pass budget

Wales' first minister has asked Plaid Cymru to help her pass this year's budget.

Eluned Morgan told First Minister's Questions in the Senedd that there was an open "invitation" to the party.

With exactly half the Senedd's 60 seats, Labour needs at least one opposition MS to either abstain or support its budget for it to pass.

Currently there is no deal on the table, although Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said at the weekend that Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford was speaking to all opposition parties, including her.

The Welsh Conservatives have said however that it is not their job to help Welsh Labour pass its budget, which funds key public services including councils and the NHS.

Drakeford will present his budget to the Senedd on 10 December. A crucial vote on - which Labour will need help with - will take place in the new year.

BBC Wales has learned that a meeting has recently taken place between a Plaid Cymru representative and Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford.

A Plaid Cymru source said the meeting was a factual briefing about the budget, and that "no discussions on a budget deal" were taking place.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru leader, wants to see Labour secure fair funding for Wales - including over HS2 high speed rail - before his party would consider supporting the Welsh government's plans.

Eluned Morgan's comments came about after Heledd Fychan, finance spokesperson for Plaid Cymru, complained about cuts to the Welsh Books Council.

She said the WBC had stated its funding had fallen by 40% in real terms in the past ten years. A number of publishers such as Yr Lolfa, she said, were unsure whether they could continue to operate.

In response, Eluned Morgan said there were financial pressures on the government.

"Like many other areas of the budget we did see cuts in order to ensure that we do provide that funding to safeguard things such as health.

"Now there is an invitation to you to have discussions with us. There is perhaps good reason for you to have those discussions with us. If this is important to you, perhaps you could help us with the budget."

Plaid Cymru was in a co-operative agreement with Welsh Labour ministers until the summer, when the party ended the deal early.

At the weekend Jane Dodds told BBC Radio Wales' Sunday Supplement programme: "We are all in talks with them."

Asked what she would want from an potential deal, Dodds said she wanted to see more money given to councils for social care, more funding for childcare to tackle child poverty, and more "green jobs".

Her comments came as news broke of a report from 2021 that criticised her handling of a sexual abuse case when she worked for the Church of England.

UK Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said she should reflect on her position, but Dodds refused to resign. She is the party's only Member of the Senedd (MS).

Finance experts have said that Rachel Reeves' budget, which promised an extra £1.7bn for Wales, had "transformed" the Welsh government's budget.

They say it should allow for a boost to NHS funding next year, without cuts to other departments.

The Welsh Conservatives' Andrew RT Davies has previously indicated he is open to talks about the Welsh government's finances.

The Senedd Tory leader said Labour had "different options" to consider than just Plaid and the Lib Dems. Historically Labour has been unwilling to work with the party.

However on Tuesday, Peter Fox - Welsh Conservative shadow finance minister - said: "It is the job of the opposition to hold the Welsh government to account, not to help them pass their budget.

"Our hope is that the Labour Welsh government will shift their focus on to the people’s priorities. The conversations they are having with other parties is their business.”

By Cemlyn Davies, political correspondent

This budget has been on the horizon for a long time, but now - with just three weeks to go until the Welsh government presents its plans - the clock is ticking.

And we're no closer to working out how ministers hope to get their budget through.

In the past Labour has struck deals with the Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru, but both options are likely to prove tricky this time given the recent headlines around Jane Dodds, and Plaid Cymru's dramatic decision to pull the plug on its cooperation agreement with Labour earlier this year.

Given how that decision further destabilised Vaughan Gething's teetering government at a time of unprecedented crisis within the Welsh Labour Senedd group, Labour will want to avoid accusations that it is once again relying on Plaid's support.

And does Plaid want to be seen to be again helping out a party that's been in power in Wales since 1999, ahead of a Senedd election where it will seek to present itself as the party of change?