POVERTY in Wales dominated today’s First Minister’s Questions as Eluned Morgan was quizzed about the two-child benefit cap and the winter fuel allowance.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds told the First Minister that 43 per cent of children in households of three or more are now at risk of relative poverty, which is 100,000 children in Wales. 

“The two-child benefit cap is a key factor driving that crisis and affects 65,000 children.

“This week, the Child Poverty Action Group said that 10,000 children have fallen into poverty since Labour took office in Westminster,” Ms Dodds said.

The Liberal Democrat leader wanted the First Minister to raise the issue again with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and ask him to scrap the limit.

“There are lots of people in the Labour Party that are uncomfortable with it, but there is a £22 billion black hole,” Ms Morgan said.

Plaid Cymru’s Delyth Jewell wanted the Welsh government to “make a last-minute plea to Keir Starmer to rethink this cruel cut” to the winter fuel allowance.

“In the coming weeks, thousands of pensioners in Wales will suffer the cold bite of winter,” Ms Jewell said.

The FM failed to say she would urge British Labour to rethink the cut, but said her government was ensuring that older people apply for pension credit, making them eligible for the winter fuel allowance.

Welsh Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders asked whether the FM’s government was raising Welsh income tax and, in response, was told to “stop believing everything she reads” as there are no plans to raise taxes.