Welsh Conservatives say agreement means higher taxes, while Labour defends spending priorities

THE LEADER of the Welsh Conservatives has used First Minister’s Questions to criticise the latest budget agreement between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, arguing it underlines what he described as an ongoing political alignment between the two parties.

At the Senedd on Tuesday, Darren Millar MS challenged the First Minister to explain why successive budgets supported by Plaid Cymru have, in his view, resulted in higher taxes and what he characterised as wasteful public spending.

Mr Millar said Plaid Cymru’s decision to back Labour’s budget proposals served as a warning to voters ahead of the Senedd elections expected next May.

He told the chamber that the Welsh Conservatives would instead pursue tax cuts, funded by reducing spending on what he described as non-essential projects. These included overseas offices, international environmental schemes and what he called a “bloated” Welsh Civil Service.

Commenting after FMQs, the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Darren Millar MS said: “The Welsh Labour Government’s budget, backed again by Plaid, will mean higher taxes to pay for more wasteful projects.

“Plaid and Labour’s stitch-up serves as a reminder that a vote for Plaid is just a vote for Labour and more of the same failures.

“In May, Wales will face a choice: more of the same with Plaid and Labour or real change, a strong team and a credible Welsh Conservative plan to fix Wales.”

Labour ministers have previously defended cooperation agreements with Plaid Cymru, saying they provide stability and allow the Welsh Government to pass budgets that fund public services such as health, education and local government. Plaid Cymru has also argued that its support has secured additional investment in areas including social care, housing and the Welsh language.

The Welsh Government has maintained that spending decisions reflect long-term priorities for Wales and that budget pressures are exacerbated by inflation and wider UK economic conditions.

Assault left victim with bruising to her elbows

A PEMBROKESHIRE HGV driver has been sentenced after dragging a woman off a sofa by her ankles, causing bruising to her elbows.

Paul Frank returned to his home in Haverfordwest on June 13 to find the woman sitting on his settee.

“He was verbally aggressive, grabbed her by her legs and pulled her off the couch,” Crown Prosecutor Ryan Colamazza told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“He grabbed her by her ankles, which resulted in bruising to her elbows.”

When interviewed by police, Frank, 56, of St Margarets Close, Haverfordwest, made a full admission to the assault.

Representing himself in court, he told magistrates he had previously asked the woman not to attend his property.

“She’d previously accused me of taking her mobile phone, so I didn’t want her in the house,” he said in mitigation. “But when I came home from work and saw her there, for some reason I just lost it and pulled her off the sofa.”

Frank pleaded guilty to assault by beating and was sentenced to a 12-month Community Order. He must complete 50 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 in court costs along with a £114 surcharge.

Second conviction leads to lengthy ban and community order

A MOTORIST who drove home from the pub believing she had consumed just two glasses of wine was later found to be more than three times the legal drink-driving limit.

Rhiannon Butler, 40, was stopped by police as she drove her Volkswagen Golf along Pembroke Street, Pembroke Dock, on Saturday (Nov 30).

“There was a strong smell of alcohol inside the vehicle and when she was asked about this, she said she was a recovering alcoholic who worked in a pub, which was why she smelt of alcohol,” Crown Prosecutor Ryan Colamazza told Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

Butler initially refused to provide a roadside breath sample. When she eventually agreed, the reading showed 125 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35. Further breathalyser tests carried out at the police station later recorded a reading of 109.

Butler, of River View, Stranraer Road, Pennar, pleaded guilty to the drink-driving offence. The court was told this was her second conviction for drink-driving, following a previous court appearance in 2020.

Due to the high reading, magistrates requested a pre-sentence report from the probation service before passing sentence.

“She’d been working that day and had drunk some alcohol when she finished,” the probation officer told the court. “She thought she’d had two glasses of wine, but people were filling up her glass, so she was unsure how much she’d drunk.”

Butler was disqualified from driving for a total of 40 months and given a 12-month community order. She was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days. She must also pay a £114 court surcharge and £85 in costs.