Starmer hits out at Plaid Cymru over Welsh Government budget vote

Emily Price

The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has hit out at Plaid Cymru over the party's decision to vote against the Welsh Government's budget plans.

The criticism came in response to a question about defence spending during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday (March 5).

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts accused Sir Keir of "imposing further hardship on the poorest", as she suggested a change in the fiscal rules to fund the recent increase in defence spending.

The Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP said: "By cosying up to Putin, Trump is making Europe less safe. We all recognise the need for Europe to adapt, Germany is changing its fiscal rules to boost investment in defence and infrastructure, creating a £500 billion euro fund to strengthen its future.

"Will the Prime Minister please consider a similar approach, focusing on strategic investment, rather than imposing further hardship on the poorest through cuts to welfare and cuts to international aid?"

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'Regrettable'

The Prime Minister replied: "I think it’s very important that if we’re to increase defence spending, which we are, to have that fully costed, fully funded, and to put that plan before the House, which is what I did last week.

"But she talks about fiscal rules, she talks about funding, I have to say it was highly regrettable that Plaid voted against £1.6 billion to fund public services in Wales. She needs to explain how that helps her constituents and the people of Wales."

Speaking after today's PMQs session, Ms Saville Roberts accused the Prime Minister of playing "political games".

She said: "While European nations reshape their economies to boost defence and invest in society, Labour plans to cut support for the most vulnerable.

"It’s disappointing that instead of addressing the real issue, the Prime Minister chose to play political games – revealing a lack of genuine solutions for the people who need it most."

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Funding

This week, the Senedd signed off on the Welsh Government’s £26bn budget for the coming year after ministers struck a deal with Liberal Democrat MS Jane Dodds.

The Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Cymru opposed the package after accusing Labour of failing to meet the challenges Wales faces.

The Welsh Government accused the two opposition parties of risking the loss of extra funding for the NHS and childcare.

In recent years, Plaid Cymru has helped the Welsh ministers pass previous budgets in return for 46 commitments.

But Welsh Labour was forced to search for a deal elsewhere when Plaid Cymru pulled out of its co-operation agreement last May.

If the budget hadn't have been voted through, the Welsh Government's funding would have been automatically cut.