7. 6. Debate: The Final Budget 2017-18

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:15 pm on 10 January 2017.

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Photo of Mark Reckless Mark Reckless UKIP 5:15, 10 January 2017

It’s a pleasure to follow Adam Price and I’m very interested in the perspective and the nuance of what he says, because it does seem to me that there is clearly a range of views within his party, and those who were previously part of it, as to the appropriate extent of co-operation with the Labour Government and the degree to which Plaid takes responsibility for this budget. When we started the process, I at least had the impression that it was a transaction between Plaid and the Labour Government, and, in return for Plaid abstaining on the budget, the Government would agree to a number of very specific measures that Plaid wanted, and that was the deal. But, to listen to him speak now, he appears to take a far greater degree of responsibility, even pride, in the budget that is before us today, even if, in the event, his party is still to abstain. He describes it as a sort of fruit of discussions between Plaid and Labour, but isn’t the reality that the fruit of those discussions were a number of particular projects? We heard about a particular bypass and the prioritisation of that over perhaps other road schemes. But it wasn’t in the event a deal on the overall budget and this isn’t Plaid’s budget to defend every part of, because you’ve only agreed to let it through in exchange for getting a series of specific things. I think we would benefit from a greater degree of clarity about how much Plaid or particular individuals who may be spokespersons take responsibility. I give way.