A Plaid Cymru MS has today (Tuesday, 7 July, 2026), attacked Labour for voting against a Welsh Government motion in support of securing fair funding for Wales by reforming the ‘unfair and outdated’ Barnett formula.
Labour tabled an amendment to the Plaid Cymru Government’s motion ‘deleting’ the calls, despite Welsh Labour 2026 manifesto stating that the party would ‘work to secure reform of the Barnett formula to create a system based on need which works for all parts of the UK’.
The U-turn on fair funding for Wales from Labour comes after Andy Burnham, who is predicted to become the next leader of UK Labour and the next UK Prime Minister, ruled out reforming Wales’ funding system, despite saying in 2015 that the formula ‘wasn’t fair to Wales’.
While refusing to back fair funding for Wales, Labour in Wales have been accused of ‘playing politics’ by threatening to work with Reform UK to block millions of pounds of investment into the NHS, childcare, and other public services, by voting against Plaid Cymru’s supplementary budget.
Following the vote, Plaid Cymru MS, Carrie Harper, has criticised Labour for ‘turning their backs on fairness for Wales’ communities’ by ‘doing what they do best by choosing party over country yet again’.
Fflint Wrecsam MS, Carrie Harper, said:
“Labour have done what they do best – they’ve chosen party over country yet again and completely turned their backs on fairness for Wales’ communities.
“By refusing to back Plaid Cymru’s calls to reform the unfair and outdated Barnett formula, they’ve not only broken their manifesto pledges, but they’ve also chosen to support Andy Burnham in backtracking on his commitment to Wales.
“In only the last couple of weeks, Labour have refused fairness for Wales, they’ve taken millions out of Wales’ ability to invest in public services, and they’re threatening to work with Reform UK to block investment into our NHS and childcare in Wales.
“It’s clear that Plaid Cymru is the only party that has the interests of Wales’ communities at its heart. We’re the only party that is willing to stand up to Westminster, and always fight for the fairness our nation deserves, whoever is in Number 10.”
