WELSH Labour leadership candidates have been urged to commit to demand fair funding from a future Westminster Labour government.

Welsh Economy Minister Vaughan Gething and Education Minister Jeremy Miles are in the running to succeed Mark Drakeford as Welsh Labour leader and Wales’s first minister.

But neither have yet publicly called for a fairer funding settlement for Wales, Plaid Cymru charged today.

Speaking at the start of the new Senedd term, the party’s leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said: “A new year begins but hardship continues for too many families struggling under the Conservatives’ cost-of-living crisis.

“One of the most pressing issues facing Wales is the unfair funding deal we get from London. That means we don’t have enough money to invest in our public services, our economy, our NHS and our schools.

“That’s true of the current Conservative government — but there’s no commitment from Keir Starmer that he would right that wrong either, or pay Wales the £2 billion or more owed as a result of the HS2 rail project.

“Even more disappointingly, neither of the prospective candidates to be Wales’ next first minister have indicated they would make fairer funding a priority should they win the leadership election.

“If the two Labour candidates for first minister are serious about transforming Wales, then demanding fair funding from their boss Keir Starmer after the next general election must be a priority.”

Spending per head on public services varies significantly across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Treasury allocates a block grant to each region and then uses the Barnett formula to calculate changes to funding when there are changes to UK government spending that affect devolved services.

Welsh Labour has been asked for comment.