Russell George admits having Senedd budget “conversation”

Montgomeryshire Senedd Member Russell George has admitted to MyWelshpool that he has “had a conversation” with Labour about their Welsh Government budget proposal, but has denied that any deals have been done to help push it through.

Mr George is an independent representative after losing his Conservative Party support following the betting scandal that cost the job of his former fellow Conservative MP, Craig Williams, last year.

That court case is rumbling on, and Mr George has said he will step aside at the Welsh elections next year, but until then he will continue to represent Montgomeryshire.

Radio Wales has this morning reported that Mr George was 'in talks' with the Labour Welsh Government who hold just 28 of the 60 seats in the Senedd, meaning they need to make a deal with another party or the two independent members to get the 2026 budget passed.

Mr George told us that he has “had a conversation on the budget with the Welsh Government", but that "no ongoing discussions have been scheduled”.

He added: “I am supportive of Darren Millar’s (Welsh Conservative Leader in the Senedd) tax cutting agenda, and I want to see Powys patients treated equally when accessing care in English hospitals as part of any deal.”