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| Crucial vote on assembly budget | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| It is thought the Welsh Assembly Government is close to reaching a deal with Plaid Cymru, which could save its spending plans for 2007-8. | It is thought the Welsh Assembly Government is close to reaching a deal with Plaid Cymru, which could save its spending plans for 2007-8. |
| Members are due to vote later on the next year's budget and opposition parties could defeat it. | Members are due to vote later on the next year's budget and opposition parties could defeat it. |
| They say they will vote against the 2007-08 £14.4bn budget unless there is more money for education. | They say they will vote against the 2007-08 £14.4bn budget unless there is more money for education. |
| But Plaid Cymru invited ministers to negotiate directly with them, breaking with the rest of the opposition. | But Plaid Cymru invited ministers to negotiate directly with them, breaking with the rest of the opposition. |
| If the opposition parties unite along with the independent members, they could defeat Labour's budget. | |
| They have been jointly putting pressure on First Minister Rhodri Morgan to commit more money to education. | |
| Plaid's split with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives appears to offer the minority Labour government its best hope of delivering a budget. | Plaid's split with the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives appears to offer the minority Labour government its best hope of delivering a budget. |
| I suspect that what we get in this final budget now will be less than we would have had if we'd have had that united response throughout Conservative leader Nick Bourne | |
| It is believed that any deal offer will be discussed by the Plaid group as a whole this morning before anything is agreed. | It is believed that any deal offer will be discussed by the Plaid group as a whole this morning before anything is agreed. |
| Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones told BBC Wales: "I've said from day one that I wanted to see a proper budget reflecting some of the priorities that we had. | |
| "I think the budget now does that up to a point but it's not sufficient. When and hopefully we can reach agreement - although that's not certain - the real beneficiaries will then be the schools of Wales." | |
| Welsh Conservative leader Nick Bourne said his party's vote would depend on what was in the final budget. | |
| He added: "It's clear that Plaid Cymru has broken ranks, they've sought direct negotiation with the government. I think that's a mistake because I think the strength was a united approach. | |
| "I suspect that what we get in this final budget now will be less than we would have had if we'd have had that united response throughout." | |
| Re-open negotiations | Re-open negotiations |
| Opposition parties in Cardiff Bay had said they would vote down Labour's £14bn spending plans unless £22m more was found for schools and universities. | Opposition parties in Cardiff Bay had said they would vote down Labour's £14bn spending plans unless £22m more was found for schools and universities. |
| But in his pre-Budget report Chancellor Gordon Brown announced an extra £165m for Wales over the next four years including £9m next year. | But in his pre-Budget report Chancellor Gordon Brown announced an extra £165m for Wales over the next four years including £9m next year. |
| However, all three opposition parties have said that even if the entire sum were to go to education it would still not be enough to persuade them to let the budget through. | However, all three opposition parties have said that even if the entire sum were to go to education it would still not be enough to persuade them to let the budget through. |
| The Conservatives have urged Mr Morgan to re-open negotiations even at this late stage. | The Conservatives have urged Mr Morgan to re-open negotiations even at this late stage. |
| And the Liberal Democrats have suggested the assembly be recalled from its Christmas break if necessary to get a budget passed. | And the Liberal Democrats have suggested the assembly be recalled from its Christmas break if necessary to get a budget passed. |