Politics Wales

The facts around @Plaid_Cymru ALN consequential funding highlights how little understanding there is amongst politicians and organisations alike @CymruNAHT of how the Barnett Formula works! SEND/ALN pupils in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 20.8% SEND/ALN pupils in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 9.5% Based on the figures Wales ALN does not require additional funding any more than other area. The NHS, mainstream education, and other areas could all benefit greatly from more funding. Wales however gets the extra money because the total budgetary spend in England has increased. It does not matter what the trigger issue is for additional spending in England. Due to an overall budgetary increase for England the money (worked out by % of population) must be transferred to devolved administrations. The consequential triggered by SEND/ALN in England does not mean it is ALN money in Wales. It is money that Wales receives so that there is no disparity between England's overall budget and that of the devolved nations. This is why no consequential money is ring fenced and allows @Plaid_Cymru the flexibility to do as they choose with the extra funding.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Senedd🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Watch: @MikeHedgesAM 🌹 defends the Barnett Formula despite incoming @UKLabour Prime Minister Andy Burnham's reservations about how the funding model works.

The facts around @Plaid_Cymru ALN consequential funding highlights how little understanding there is amongst politicians and organisations alike @CymruNAHT of how the Barnett Formula works! SEND/ALN pupils in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 20.8% SEND/ALN pupils in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 9.5% Based on the figures Wales ALN does not require additional funding any more than other area. The NHS, mainstream education, and other areas could all benefit greatly from more funding. Wales however gets the extra money because the total budgetary spend in England has increased. It does not matter what the trigger issue is for additional spending in England. Due to an overall budgetary increase for England the money (worked out by % of population) must be transferred to devolved administrations. The consequential triggered by SEND/ALN in England does not mean it is ALN money in Wales. It is money that Wales receives so that there is no disparity between England's overall budget and that of the devolved nations. This is why no consequential money is ring fenced and allows @Plaid_Cymru the flexibility to do as they choose with the extra funding.

'...the Institute for Fiscal Studies said the budget currently is set to cut the health and social care budget in real terms.' Story:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The use of her name: 'Leakey was her mother’s name, but Ms Bird was raised by her dad near Kirriemuir where he still lives.' @larabirdsnp “My parents got divorced when I was very young and they weren’t married when I was born, which is why I ended up having both names,” said Ms Bird. Regarding her accent: 'Ms Bird puts her, at times, changing accent down to her mum being English, talking to the English side of her family, and having spent four years living in London.' thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/551288…

@InstaSim6 @JoStevensLabour I take your point. Perhaps the argument against would be, many areas that affect 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 are controlled by Westminster so Wales needs a voice at the cabinet table.

@PoliticalWales @JoStevensLabour I hope Andy Burnham chooses someone else to be Welsh Secretary at the very least A more radical option would be to abolish the position altogether. We have a First Minister who should be our de facto Welsh Secretary to the UK Government

A New Welsh Secretary? As certain as Rachel Reeves leaving her post, current Secretary of State for Wales @JoStevensLabour 's services in Cabinet won't be retained. Stevens a Starmer loyalist and devosceptic will be at odds with Andy Burnham's pro devolution agenda. The incoming Prime Minister is thought to be a radical devolutionist, having seen the benefits of devolved power in Manchester. However, there are no obvious candidates to replace Stevens, with Welsh MPs having been in large numbers loyal supporters of Starmer's agenda.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 SENEDD 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 A big problem for @RUKWales and @DanWalesReform in arguing against Plaid's demands for more money from Westminster is that 6 months ago (the last time such a poll was conducted) a big majority of every party including their own believe that Wales does not receive its fair share of funding from Westminster. Argue Westminster's case too strongly and the Welsh population starts to believe that you're not on their side!

🇬🇧🇪🇺 Brexit 🇬🇧🇪🇺 Claims that the NHS would be funded £350 million a week as a result of leaving the EU became a main campaigning issue for Vote Leave. This was misleading as it did not happen!

@Jordon3Jane @JoStevensLabour No obvious candidate. Initially believed that McMorrin would be first in line, but she released a gushing eulogy on X yesterday to Starmer...so not so sure now.

@PoliticalWales @JoStevensLabour The choice of a replacement from current Wales based MPs if any calibre is very limited.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Senedd 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The Senedd Member for Caerdydd Penarth and former leader of Cardiff Council Huw Thomas misrepresenting the issue of consequentials and ALN in Wales. ALN or SEND (its equivalent in England) comparable figures: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 20.8% 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 9.5 % The increase in Westminster spending has been a necessity because the number of SEND/ALN pupils are double what they are in Wales. The extra money is not deemed a necessity for Wales ALN, but due to Barnett it must, like all consequentials, be passed on to the Welsh Government. This is the Barnett Formula at work. Devolved administrations are not legally required to spend consequential money on the exact same policies or services that triggered the consequentials in England. There is no ring fencing of money hence @Plaid_Cymru flexibility to use how they choose.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Senedd🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 A misleading assesment by the Senedd Member for Caerdydd Ffynon Taf. Number of pupils classed as SEND/ALN 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 20.8% 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 9.5% The increase in spend in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 has been necessary because they have double the number of SEND/ALN pupils compared to 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. The extra money is not necessary for Wales ALN, but due to Barnett it must, like all consequentials, be passed on to the Welsh Government. This is the Barnett Formula at work. Devolved administrations are not legally required to spend consequential money on the exact same policies or services that triggered the consequentials in England. There is no ring fencing of money hence @Plaid_Cymru flexibility to use how they choose.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Wales in Westminster🇬🇧 Despite being made a Junior Minister by Keir Starmer, there has been no gushing euology to the departing Prime Minister by the MP for Rhondda Ogmore Chris Bryant. Unlike many other Welsh MPs who have taken to X to thank Keir Starmer for his time in office - (McMorrin,Stevens, Barros Curtis, Bell, Tuffnell, Kinnock...there may be more) Bryant has kept quiet. On the day Keir Starmer stood down and Burnham arrived in Westminster, Mr.Bryant posted a clip of himsefl talking about a Digital Trade Agreement with Malaysia 🇲🇾. x.com/RhonddaBryant/…