ELECTION battle lines were drawn up on fair funding for Wales in today’s First Minister questions of the last Senedd term before the election on May 7.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth referred to a leaked draft of Welsh Labour’s election strategy which said: “Reform define the anger and Plaid define the hope.”

The nationalist leader said Welsh Labour had missed opportunities to stand up to Sir Keir Starmer and demand fairness for Wales and asked why the First Minister was so determined to defend Westminster.

FM Eluned Morgan said: “We are the only party in Wales who believe in strong devolution within a United Kingdom context.

“If you want independence, you need to demonstrate how on Earth you’re going to pay for it and how you’re going to overcome the fantasy economics that you will be offering the people of Wales.”

The Plaid leader said that Counsel General Julie James had said last week that her party did not want rail to be devolved.

“A system that has enabled the chronic underfunding of our railways by both Labour and Conservative governments, and where the idea of decisions about Welsh rail being made outside Wales is defended by a Welsh Minister,” Mr ap Iorwerth said.

Ms Morgan said she was clear that “we want to see rail devolution,” but along with the proper funding.

“One per cent of rail funding we get in Wales and it’s not good enough.

“It’s not acceptable from the Tory UK government, and it is not acceptable, frankly, from the Labour government either,” Ms Morgan said.