Unclear how Vaughan Gething could pass budget

Vaughan Gething lost a vote of no confidence vote three weeks ago

It is unclear how Vaughan Gething could get a budget passed in the Senedd, after it emerged that opposition parties are unlikely to provide support.

BBC Wales understands that it is not likely Plaid Cymru would assist the first minister with a budget, after he lost a vote of no confidence.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats confirmed its leader Jane Dodds would rule out helping a budget to be passed, and the Conservatives also say they would not support him.

Welsh Labour was asked for comment.

Each financial year the Welsh government has to pass a budget in the Senedd outlining its spending plans for Welsh public services, including the NHS, schools and councils.

The process and votes surrounding it generally takes place in the winter.

Labour has never had a majority in the Senedd since the advent of devolution. Despite always leading the government, either in coalition or alone, the party has always had to strike deals with opposition members.

Currently it has 30 members of the Senedd - exactly half of the parliament's total of 60 seats.

The Welsh Labour government needs at least one opposition member to abstain on a budget to get its plans through.

The government would have until the end of the financial year to get its plans passed.

Should the efforts of ministers to strike a deal fail, the budget for this year would be effectively rolled over into the next, but with a cut.

Vaughan Gething lost a vote of no confidence earlier this month after two of his backbenchers were away sick.

It followed a months-long row over donations to his leadership campaign, from a company owned by a man previously convicted of environmental offences.

Despite calls to resign he has refused to do so, and says he has broken no donation rules.

A supporter has said Mr Gething would have won the vote had the absent Senedd members been present.

'Democratic mandate'

Jane Dodds said: “The Welsh Liberal Democrats will not support Labour in passing their budget. Vaughan Gething lost a motion of no confidence in the Senedd and should act accordingly.

"The first minister has had multiple opportunities to do the right thing and return the money. He must now respect the democratic mandate of the Senedd."

Plaid Cymru previously assisted the Welsh government in passing budgets via its co-operation deal, which it scrapped in the summer.

BBC Wales was told that the group would take a collective decision on the subject at an appropriate time.

But it was also told that it was difficult to envisage how Plaid Cymru could facilitate a budget from a first minister who had lost the confidence of the Senedd.

Another individual in the party said they could not see Plaid Cymru being persuaded with offers from the Welsh government, as often happens when ministers try to strike budget deals.

A Welsh Conservative Senedd spokesman said: “The Welsh Conservatives will never support Labour budgets which divert crucial resources away from key services and into Labour vanity projects like putting 36 more Senedd Members in Cardiff Bay.”