Labour set for minority rule after joint working deal with Plaid
Carwyn Jones reappointed first minister after Labour-Plaid deal
(about 4 hours later)
Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones is expected to be re-appointed as first minister on Wednesday, following a deal with Plaid Cymru to end a week of deadlock in Cardiff Bay.
Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones has been reappointed as first minister, after a deal with Plaid Cymru to end a week of deadlock in Cardiff Bay.
The deal paves the way for Labour to form a minority Welsh Government.
Following the Queen's approval, Mr Jones will begin forming a minority Welsh Government.
Both parties say it does not amount to coalition, and Plaid's Simon Thomas said his party is not committed to backing the government in future votes.
He said Labour would not bring forward legislation in the first 100 days, to establish a new way of law-making.
Meanwhile Labour's Jane Hutt said her party has not given up its own plans.
There would then be legislation on public health, additional learning needs and on smacking, Mr Jones said.
Three committees will be created for joint working on financial, legislative and constitutional matters.
The Welsh people wanted Labour to proceed with "caution and humility", he told AMs.
Assembly members failed to elect a new first minister on 11 May, when the assembly met for the first time after an election in which Labour lost one seat, leaving it with 29 AMs out of 60.
His government priorities would reflect "the successful result for Welsh Labour in the May election, and subsequent discussions with the main opposition party, Plaid Cymru", Mr Jones said.
Plaid Cymru's nomination of its leader Leanne Wood to be first minister was backed by the Conservatives and UKIP, while Mr Jones was supported by sole Liberal Democrat Kirsty Williams and his own party.
Labour main aims included a "relentless focus on securing a successful and sustainable future for our steel industry" and pledged Labour ministers would "campaign vociferously for a Remain vote" in June's EU referendum.
With the vote tied at 29-29, the assembly was adjourned.
"We will not bring forward any new legislation in the first 100 days, giving political groups in the assembly some time to establish a new way of doing law-making in Wales," Mr Jones said.
'No obligation'
"This will allow all parties to jointly develop a scrutiny and committee procedure that is better suited to this institution's parliamentary responsibilities."
Mr Thomas said the deal had been a success for Plaid, with the party not committed to supporting the government in any future votes if there is a disagreement.
He told the BBC's Good Morning Wales: "It's absolutely not a coalition. We don't have ministers, we don't have any obligation beyond the vote today, when we will allow the election of Carwyn Jones, to support the government in any way."
Finance Minister Jane Hutt told the programme that Labour had not had to give up any of its own commitments in order to secure the deal.
"I foresee we will deliver our manifesto in this assembly term," she said.
The 'compact'
A statement published on Wednesday said there had now been "constructive and positive talks about the parties' shared priorities for the coming assembly, and future working arrangements".
The statement said: "The basis of the agreement reached, a Compact to Move Wales Forward, is the establishment of three liaison committees - on finance, legislation and the constitution.
"This will allow formalised joint working on future priorities.
"However, this does not constitute a coalition, or a formal confidence and supply arrangement [where an opposition party sustains a minority administration through budgets and any confidence votes, in return for policy concessions] and both parties reserve the right to respectfully agree to disagree."
Mr Jones will tell AMs on Wednesday his government priorities for the first 100 days include policies on childcare, apprenticeships and increasing the number of GPs.
A commitment to creating a "National Infrastructure Commission" and Welsh development bank will also be announced.
Sources have said there has been no agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru on the sensitive issue of the M4 relief road, but added that the parties had "agreed to progress what they could".
Ms Wood said Plaid looked forward to providing "robust opposition over the next five years".
"We still believe that Wales needs an alternative government in order to progress, but we recognise that the people have decided not to give that mandate to a different party at this time," she said.
"The Party of Wales' aim remains to use the next five years to implement as many of our policies as possible."
But Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said his party was the only alternative to Labour.
"We stand ready to offer robust, constructive and detailed scrutiny to this minority Labour administration, and their Plaid Cymru helpers," he said.
