Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan led the charge ahead of the chancellor’s statement next week, warning public services cannot afford another UK budget that ‘sidelines Wales.’
Ms Fychan urged Welsh ministers to press UK colleagues for HS2 consequential funding, devolution of the Crown Estate, and the reversal of inheritance tax changes on family farms.
She criticised Labour for tabling a ‘delete all’ amendment to the motion, asking: “Is there nothing you want to see the UK chancellor announce next week that will benefit Wales?”
Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ shadow finance secretary, warned Labour’s so-called partnership in power was failing the people of Wales.
But he described the Plaid Cymru motion as ‘deeply flawed’ and ‘built on a fantasy’ that would be ‘dangerous for our Welsh economy.’
Mr Rowlands opposed the devolution of the Crown Estate as well as a ‘reckless, unfunded’ call to abolish the two-child benefit cap.
Accusing Plaid Cymru of ‘propping up’ Labour, he told the Senedd: “Plaid’s obsession with independence isn’t just reckless, it would break up the UK and leave Wales even poorer.”
Plaid Cymru’s Llŷr Gruffydd said the UK Government budget has become an omnishambles even before it has been delivered by Rachel Reeves on November 26.
He told the Senedd: “It’s fast becoming a u-turn budget: scrapping the two-child benefit cap was out, now it’s in. Hiking income tax was in but now it’s out. It’s a bit of a hokey-cokey budget, isn’t it, from a government that’s clearly in power but totally out of control.”
Alun Davies, a Labour backbencher, criticised the Welsh Government’s ‘delete-all’ amendment, saying: “If these debates are to be worth having, then they need to be debates where there is engagement between the government and other parties.”
Responding to Wednesday’s (November 19) debate, Mark Drakeford criticised the ‘kitchen sink of a motion; which ‘if not designed to divide… inevitably has that effect.’
Senedd members voted 37-11 against Plaid Cymru’s motion, 25-24 against the Labour Welsh Government’s amendment and 35-13 against the Conservatives’ amendment.
