CONCESSIONS to the Liberal Democrats were expected to lead to the Welsh government’s draft £26 billion budget receiving Senedd approval last night.

Sole Lib Dem member Jane Dodds has done a deal in exchange for a ban on greyhound racing, £1 bus fares for under-21s across Wales, costing £15 million, and a cash boost for the care sector and local councils.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford made £100m worth of commitments to secure the deal with Ms Dodds.

Mr Drakeford said: “We finally have the opportunity to turn the corner to begin the process of repair to restore a sense of hope that improvement can begin, because austerity was insidious.”

He said the government was unable to undo all the damage inflicted on Wales during the years of Tory austerity, but it could begin to “rebuild services and create an economy which offers prosperity for all.”

However, Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan told the Senedd that while the Conservatives have lost power at Westminster, austerity hasn’t gone with them.

Ms Fychan said her party was voting against the budget, but she offered to work across political divisions to secure fairness and parity for Wales on funding and powers. 

“The question for Welsh Labour is are you willing to do so and put Wales before party?” she asked.

Welsh Labour holds 30 of the 60 Senedd seats and needs at least one opposition member to either vote with it, or abstain, to pass legislation.

If the budget is not passed, then the Welsh government’s spending will be cut by around £4bn.

Mr Drakeford was scathing about the opposition parties’ attempts to vote the budget down, saying the eyes of the nation would on them and they would be blamed for the loss of the extra money if they succeed.

According to the Welsh government, there is £1.5bn more in the budget, with £600m extra for the Welsh NHS.

But there are concerns that the extra money for public bodies will be eaten up by Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s rise in employers’ National Insurance contributions.

The UK Treasury has promised extra money for the public sector to cover the National Insurance increase, but Mr Drakeford has said it will not be known for a few months which organisations will benefit or how much will be provided.

The budget vote took place after the Morning Star had gone to press.