Deal or No Deal?
It seems clear that Plaid Cymru is negotiating on the budget with Sue Essex and Rhodri Morgan in the absence of other opposition parties and groups. This has been happening previously but now Plaid has made a public announcement to the effect that it will deal directly with the Rhodri Morgan Administration. I think that this is a mistake. Last year we succeeded in remaining solid on budget negotiations, and I think that this was to the benefit of Wales and agreeing a final budget with the Labour government. I think we would have not had such a good deal if we had sought to negotiate separately.
This year negotiations proceeded with a united front from the opposition parties, Trish Law and John Marek, and I pay tribute to those who succeeded in bringing the negotiations to fruition on almost every area. There remains the issue of money for Welsh schools and for Welsh universities, and also getting some clarity on the Tir Mynydd issue. These were the outstanding issues and it seemed that the opposition parties were going to remain solid on them. I am sorry that this hasn’t happened.
I remain of the view that Labour will get its budget by the end of business on Wednesday, but I think we would have had a better deal for Welsh schools and Welsh universities had there been the solidarity that had held good previously.
Rhodri Morgan must have thought that Christmas had come two weeks early this year!
