First Minister hits out at Plaid for walking away from co-operation agreement

Emily Price 

Wales' First Minister has accused Plaid Cymru of "walking away" from the opportunity to engage on university cuts when the party ended its co-operation agreement with the Welsh Government early.

Baroness Eluned Morgan's comments came after Plaid's leader Rhun ap Iorwerth invited her to accept an invitation of collaboration for a cross-party review into higher education in Wales.

Last month, Cardiff University confirmed plans to cut 400 full-time jobs amid a funding shortfall.

The University of South Wales is also expected to make large cuts to staff and jobs after projecting a £20m deficit.

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Costs

This morning, the Welsh Government announced an £18.5 million funding boost to support efforts to reduce operating costs.

Universities Wales says although welcome, the extra cash won't tackle the "underlying issues and ensure the sustainability" of the higher education sector.

In the Senedd on Tuesday (February 18) Plaid's leader suggested that the Welsh Government starts cross party discussions on  the possibility of a brand new funding model for universities.

But the First Minister hit back saying it was a "shame" that discussions could have continued if Plaid hadn't "walked away" from its partnership with Welsh Labour.

Baroness Morgan added that she was "always happy to listen to other people's ideas" and that she would be attending a meeting with university vice chancellors in early March.

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Sacked

Plaid Cymru pulled out of its co-operation agreement with the Welsh Government in May last year.

It was originally due to last until December 2024 - so would have concluded by now even if the partnership had run its full course.

The party's decision to end the agreement came shortly after the former First Minister Vaughan Gething sacked his junior minister Hannah Blythyn.

She had been accused of leaking a screen grab of pandemic era messages to Nation.Cymru.

It showed that Mr Gething had told a ministerial group chat that he would be deleting messages because they could have been subject to freedom of information legislation.

Out of concern for Ms Blythyn's mental health, Nation.Cymru later took the unprecedented decision to confirm that she was not the source of the leak.

Minority

At the time, Welsh Labour was already in turmoil over row about donations to Mr Gething's leadership campaign from a company convicted of environmental offences.

The co-operation agreement saw Plaid vote with Labour on a series of policy areas to ensure a majority in the Senedd.

It was established following the 2021 Senedd elections, in which Labour gained 30 out of the 60 seats - one below a majority.

Without Plaid Cymru to support it, Labour now finds itself as a minority administration in Cardiff Bay, which could prove troublesome when it seeks to pass its draft Budget next month.

Both Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives say they will not support the Budget.

It's rumoured that the Senedd's only Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds will strike a deal with Welsh ministers to get the Budget through.