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Welsh First Minister: UKIP AM Gill to back Carwyn Jones | Welsh First Minister: UKIP AM Gill to back Carwyn Jones |
(35 minutes later) | |
UKIP AM Nathan Gill is preparing to back Carwyn Jones's re-election as first minister, BBC Wales understands. | UKIP AM Nathan Gill is preparing to back Carwyn Jones's re-election as first minister, BBC Wales understands. |
There was deadlock in the Senedd as Mr Jones and Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood were tied 29-29, with Lib Dem Kirsty Williams siding with Labour. | There was deadlock in the Senedd as Mr Jones and Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood were tied 29-29, with Lib Dem Kirsty Williams siding with Labour. |
The Conservatives and the seven UKIP AMs joined Plaid in backing Ms Wood. | The Conservatives and the seven UKIP AMs joined Plaid in backing Ms Wood. |
Another UKIP AM, Mark Reckless, told BBC Wales the whole UKIP group could back Labour if it supported the scrapping of the Severn Bridge tolls. | Another UKIP AM, Mark Reckless, told BBC Wales the whole UKIP group could back Labour if it supported the scrapping of the Severn Bridge tolls. |
Mr Jones had been expected to be reinstated as first minister of a minority Labour government in the first Senedd session of the new assembly term on Wednesday. | Mr Jones had been expected to be reinstated as first minister of a minority Labour government in the first Senedd session of the new assembly term on Wednesday. |
But the meeting had to be adjourned to a later date after a roll call of AMs resulted in a tie, with no prospect of a fresh vote giving a different result. | |
'Up for negotiation' | 'Up for negotiation' |
Speaking to BBC Wales on Wednesday, Mr Reckless said: "I don't understand the prevalent assumption within media and political circles how Carwyn Jones was just going to come back unchallenged as first minister. | Speaking to BBC Wales on Wednesday, Mr Reckless said: "I don't understand the prevalent assumption within media and political circles how Carwyn Jones was just going to come back unchallenged as first minister. |
"The only complication for me was the leadership vote within our group … that was my focus, to keep things together, that we were a cohesive seven on that for Leanne." | |
But Mr Reckless added: "All of us would be willing to back Labour and Carwyn if they were to give us sufficient of what we want in our manifesto. | But Mr Reckless added: "All of us would be willing to back Labour and Carwyn if they were to give us sufficient of what we want in our manifesto. |
"We want to scrap the [Severn Bridge] tolls," he said, describing it as a "red line" on which UKIP support for any potential first minister depended. | "We want to scrap the [Severn Bridge] tolls," he said, describing it as a "red line" on which UKIP support for any potential first minister depended. |
"If we can be assured that would happen we would be up for negotiation for whoever would do that." | |
A Labour group spokesperson said: "There are no formal talks with any parties currently and certainly not UKIP. | A Labour group spokesperson said: "There are no formal talks with any parties currently and certainly not UKIP. |
"Nathan Gill, like almost every AM, wanted to speak to the First Minister yesterday. The First Minister wasn't available so he spoke to a senior member of our group. | "Nathan Gill, like almost every AM, wanted to speak to the First Minister yesterday. The First Minister wasn't available so he spoke to a senior member of our group. |
"Over the coming days we will speak to AMs from every party to ensure Wales has a stable government in the soonest timeframe possible, but there's no deal with Nathan or with UKIP as seems to have been suggested." | "Over the coming days we will speak to AMs from every party to ensure Wales has a stable government in the soonest timeframe possible, but there's no deal with Nathan or with UKIP as seems to have been suggested." |
'Level of desperation' | 'Level of desperation' |
Simon Thomas, Plaid AM, told the BBC's Daily Politics programme: "I'd be amazed after what the Labour party said yesterday that they'd be prepared to do a deal with an individual UKIP member like Nathan Gill. | Simon Thomas, Plaid AM, told the BBC's Daily Politics programme: "I'd be amazed after what the Labour party said yesterday that they'd be prepared to do a deal with an individual UKIP member like Nathan Gill. |
"It just shows the level of desperation that the Labour party are potentially in at the moment." | "It just shows the level of desperation that the Labour party are potentially in at the moment." |
Earlier, he told BBC Radio Wales that relationships between Plaid and Labour were "not at their best". | Earlier, he told BBC Radio Wales that relationships between Plaid and Labour were "not at their best". |
Labour AM Alun Davies told the station his party had the "right and mandate to govern", but added: "I accept completely that we need to be more open. | |
"We need to be transparent. We need to be inclusive. We have to reach out. That isn't in question." | "We need to be transparent. We need to be inclusive. We have to reach out. That isn't in question." |
'No deal' | 'No deal' |
All parties insisted that no deals had been done before the vote on first minister. | |
Tory AM Paul Davies told BBC Radio Cymru's Post Cyntaf programme: "What we wanted to show yesterday is that Labour doesn't have some divine right to govern. | |
"At the end of the day, Labour doesn't have a majority." | "At the end of the day, Labour doesn't have a majority." |
Liberal Democrat AM Kirsty Williams told BBC's The Wales Report: "I have not done a deal with the Labour Party. My decision was based on the reality of the election result." | |
AMs are expected to meet again next week to vote again for a first minister. | |
They have until 2 June - 28 days after the election - to choose a leader or face the prospect of a fresh election. | |