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:
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.”
Douglas Alexander – a friend of Starmer’s – was asked on Sky News if the PM will be in post at the next election. He wasn’t so sure himself:
“I think he will. There are no certainties but of course I think he will lead and I think he should because, frankly, on the biggest call in this parliament he’s exercised the right judgment, which is to keep us out of someone else’s war.”