Plaid first minister promises cooperation after bruising budget defeat

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has promised an "even more cooperative" approach to working with opposition parties after his Plaid Cymru government suffered a bruising budget defeat in the Senedd.

He accused Labour of joining forces with Reform UK to vote down the spending plans, but insisted he was committed to working "in the spirit of cooperation".

He pledged to "move forward" and bring in another supplementary budget alongside next year's full annual budget after the summer break.

Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates called for "a period of reflection over the summer", arguing it was "in everybody's interest" to secure the best possible deal for Wales.

In bad-tempered debate on Tuesday, MSs voted down the spending plans by 49 votes to 44 after Labour rejected Plaid Cymru's offer of extra funding for children with additional learning needs.

Ministers had proposed £40m a year over three years, but Labour held out for £100m annually over the same period.

Speaking to BBC Wales, Mr ap Iorwerth said Labour had acted "irresponsibly" by helping defeat the budget.

"They have to explain it, but we move forward now," he said.

"I am cooperative by nature. The access Labour had to the thinking behind what we had on the table was as clear as it could have been.

"We'll take an approach now that is even more cooperative as we move towards next year's budgets."

The first minister said securing a budget was "one of the founding pillars" of the Senedd's political cycle and confirmed ministers would return with a new supplementary budget after the summer recess.

"We carry on with the work of government," he said. "We'll bring forward another supplementary budget later on, but we do so in the spirit of cooperation because that's the way I work."

Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates said all parties should use the summer break to reflect on how they work together.

"We need to have a period of reflection over the summer, look at behaviour, look at attitudes, and have a reset, because it's in everybody's interest to get the best possible deal for people," he said.

Skates said Labour could help secure improvements to budgets and legislation from the opposition benches, but argued Plaid Cymru needed to adapt to the realities of governing.

"It's really important as well that Plaid recognise they're not in opposition now," he said.

"In opposition, you can attack, attack, attack. When you're in a minority position in government, you need to build consensus. You need to negotiate positively.

"Once we come back in the autumn, there are huge challenges ahead in terms of budgets and legislation, and they're going to need support from others."