Welsh Government Budget: Plaid Cymru ready to get Wales out of hole

Welsh Government Budget: Plaid Cymru ready to get Wales out of hole made by Labour
Plaid warns against thousands of job losses, council tax bill increases

Plaid Cymru is ready to get Wales out of the hole made by Labour to protect the NHS and public services, Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has said.

Plaid Cymru has warned that Labour’s draft budget would deal a serious blow to Wales’ public services - pushing councils towards thousands of job losses, forcing steep rises in council tax, and leaving the NHS with a historically low funding uplift

While Labour must take responsibility for the budget it has proposed, Mr ap Iorwerth said Plaid Cymru would not stand by and allow Wales to suffer yet another raw deal.

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth publicly offered talks on the budget on the basis of saving the NHS and councils from the “harm of Labour’s original budget” during today’s FMQs - an offer First Minister Eluned Morgan ignored.

The Plaid Cymru Leader said his party’s focus was on shielding communities from the harshest impacts of Labour’s plans - protecting the NHS, safeguarding council jobs and services, and preventing unaffordable council tax increases.

The Welsh Local Government Association had previously warned recently “social care, homelessness, education and workforce costs continue to rise faster than resources can keep up.”

The draft local government settlement was published last week.

The auditor general, Adrian Crompton, said councils face a "real squeeze" as costs spiral for children's care and other services.

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said,

“This budget, as it stands, will hit our public services hard. Plaid Cymru would never allow councils to face thousands of job losses or sky-rocketing council tax, nor would we accept an NHS receiving a historically low funding increase.

“While this is Labour’s budget to defend and deliver, Plaid Cymru will never stand by and let Wales be saddled with yet another raw deal. This is about mitigating the worst parts of the budget Labour has put forward and Plaid Cymru is ready to get Wales of this hole made by Labour, to protect the NHS, council jobs and services, and council tax bills.

“Labour seems to have already given up on Wales. Next year, our country will have the chance to choose new leadership - leadership that puts Wales first. Until then, we must protect our public services. Plaid Cymru is ready to step up. The real question is: is Labour?”

Speaking after FMQs, Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS added,

“The First Minister seems to enjoy giving the impression of a government with its door open to discuss and Plaid Cymru as refusing to talk. But at the same time she is seemingly unaware that initial discussions had already taken place to understand the budgetary situation and completely ignored the public offer by Plaid Cymru to allow a budget settlement to save the NHS and councils from the harm of Labour’s original budget tabled.”