The Welsh Labour government has released new procurement card spend data for 2022-2023. Apart from the total cash spent almost doubling from £800,000 to £1,500,000, the taxpayer might want to see exactly what crucial devolved government work they are financing. Here are the highlights:

• A month after spending £8,000 at luxury Manahattan restaurant Zou Zou’s, officials picked up another £16,000 tab a week later.
• £588 on party equipment from a website selling fussball and arcade machines.
• £5,158 at Soho House West Hollywood. A members’ club in Los Angeles…
• £455 on booze/perfume/cosmetics from a Dubai-based “diplomatic supply company.” Smell good, govern good…
• A couple of Gopros for £700 each.
• £207 bill from a website which sells wool and luxury whiskey.
• £2,702 to “Diversity Travel Ltd,” a travel management company specialising in “diversity study trips for personal development.” A spa day, but with rainbows?

Welsh officials have been keeping themselves well fed and watered on the taxpayer’s dime. Labour made a massive deal last year of government procurement card spending – they even rebranded their Twitter to attack the Tories for spending cash on cocktail parties for diplomats and so on. Funny they don’t seem too keen to mention it any more…

UPDATE: Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies says:

“The Labour Welsh Government are literally dining out on the backs of taxpayers as ministers complain of tight financial constraints and NHS waiting lists balloon for six consecutive record-breaking months. You couldn’t make this up.”