AMID sinking support for Welsh Labour in the opinion polls, First Minister Eluned Morgan has pledged £157 million of new funding to support her priorities this year.  

The extra funding announced today includes £21m for diagnostic equipment for the NHS, on top of a £50m package announced last month to cut the longest waits.

Th First Minister said £20m will be provided for school and college repairs and an extra £1m for arts and cultural organisations — less than the arts sector was cut in the current Budget.

“The funding for diagnostic equipment will give the NHS the tools to do just that, helping people get diagnosed and treated faster,” she said.

“I am determined we go further and work faster, and this extra funding will help us do just that in these priority areas.”

In an interview with BBC Wales, the First Minister warned opposition parties that if they failed to support her government’s draft Budget for 2025-26, the country would lose almost £1 billion in extra money from the Westminster government.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £1.7bn for Wales in her October Budget, including £774m for this year and £930m for 2025-26.

Welsh Labour is in a minority in the Senedd and needs one member of an opposition party to support its Budget for it to be passed, which would trigger next year’s funding.

During First Minister’s Questions, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth pressed Ms Morgan on getting additional money from the Westminster government to give support to older people who have lost the winter fuel allowance, in line with initiatives from the Scottish government.

Ms Morgan said that she was always willing to seek extra money from the Treasury and was seeing the Prime Minister on Friday.

“I’ll be making it clear to him that I expect more for my nation. We’ve had £25m for coal tips, but we want more and we also want more in terms of High-Speed Rail 2 funding,” the FM said.

She pointed out that being in government was about tough choices and said the opposition asked for more spending but never explained where else in the Budget should be cut to pay for it.

The draft Budget for Wales in 2025-26 will be published next week on December 10.