Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Budget
This is all very predictable stuff but what else is there to do? The budget motion this afternoon has 19 tabled amendments, only one makes a suggestion as to an alternative way forward. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have asked that new commitments in the One Wales programme be postponed in order for the Government to focus on core services.
The problem is that the budget is so vague that it is difficult to pin down specific commitments within it and that makes it very hard to be more constructive. It is also the case that this is the Government's budget and it should not be the role of opposition to recast it for them.
As the debate is on a draft budget then it is perfectly legitimate to seek to set a direction of travel rather than specifically amend particular lines of expenditure. I expect the debate to be as partisan and as bad tempered as every other time we have discussed this matter. The real fight however, will be out in local communities and on the doorsteps in the run-up to May's Council elections.
The problem is that the budget is so vague that it is difficult to pin down specific commitments within it and that makes it very hard to be more constructive. It is also the case that this is the Government's budget and it should not be the role of opposition to recast it for them.
As the debate is on a draft budget then it is perfectly legitimate to seek to set a direction of travel rather than specifically amend particular lines of expenditure. I expect the debate to be as partisan and as bad tempered as every other time we have discussed this matter. The real fight however, will be out in local communities and on the doorsteps in the run-up to May's Council elections.
