FUNDING, the lack of it, and how it is spent in Wales was the hot topic in today’s questions to the First Minister.

Labour’s interim leader Ken Skates questioned claims from Rhun ap Iorwerth that his government was left with hundreds of millions in overspend by Labour.

The First Minister said his government is having to deal with “in year pressures” from the previous government.

Reform UK’s Tom Montgomery was concerned that Welsh councils carry more than £6.4 billion in debts.

Mr ap Iorwerth said that councils in Wales have more borrowing powers than the Welsh government. The FM said he would be making the case for the Welsh government to have greater borrowing powers “in order to invest in our future.

“We trust local authorities to make prudent borrowing decisions themselves.”

Labour’s Lynne Neagle said the financial pressures faced by local authorities were because of additional learning needs of pupils and asked the Welsh government to use some of the £300 million it received from Westminster.

Reform UK’s Welsh leader Dan Thomas wanted to know if the FM had arranged to meet with Andy Burnham, and said Westminster doesn’t take Plaid seriously and doesn’t want to meet his government.

In a pantomime routine, the FM asked his ministers to put their hands up if they had met a UK government minister today.

Three put theirs hands up to laughter.

Mr ap Iorwerth scorned the chaos at Westminster and said Reform were in disarray as they awaited a statement from Nigel Farage about his position.

Many Reform Senedd Members were glued to their phones during FMQs as they waited for news from their leader.