December is a time for spirits aplenty. But has the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come visited early this year? Over in Cardiff Bay, it seems that a deal has been struck to pass a budget in the Welsh parliament. After a humiliating thumping in the Caerphilly by-election, the incumbent Labour government currently lacks a majority to push through its legislation. But now Plaid Cymru has ridden to the rescue. The two sides are believed to have sketched out an agreement, which should mean Labour avoids a defeat when their spending plans are put to a vote in January.
This is a likely precursor to what we can expect next May. Polls show that the Senedd elections are a toss up between Reform UK and Plaid Cymru as to who comes top in six months time – with Keir Starmer’s party sent to finish third in a national election for the first time in a hundred years. But after years of Plaid Cymru propping up Welsh Labour governments, it looks likely that the situation is about to be reversed. Most Senedd sources expect there to be a Plaid First Minister after May, with Labour the junior partner in any pact or coalition. So much for the natural party of Welsh government eh?
A scornful Reform Wales source told Mr S: ‘Labour are up shit’s creek and Plaid have just handed them a paddle.’ The reckoning can’t come soon enough…
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