Badenoch leaves door open to Tory support for Plaid government's budget

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has not ruled out the Welsh Tories helping Plaid Cymru ministers to pass the Welsh government's supplementary budget.

In July, Plaid's mid-year spending plans were defeated in the Senedd after they failed to secure enough opposition party support for the changes.

On Thursday, Badenoch told BBC Wales her party would always be willing to support "individual policies" where people are delivering things "Conservative voters want".

But she insisted she was "not interested in doing deals" and that the Conservatives were the only "sensible party in the Senedd".

The Tory leader was taking questions ahead of the party's four-day autumn conference which takes place in Birmingham from Sunday.

Pressed on whether she would rule out her party working with Plaid to pass the budget, she said the Conservatives would always do the "right thing".

"We look at things on a case-by-case basis," she said.

"That's what matters. If Plaid Cymru makes some decisions that are common sense, I don't anticipate that, then of course we would support them.

"But if they do bad things or stupid things, we will not be supporting them."

In September a Welsh government source told BBC Wales discussions on the supplementary were "either happening or scheduled to happen with all" opposition parties.

Last month, the leaders of Plaid Cymru, the SNP and Sinn Fein met in Cardiff and signed an agreement stating that "Westminster's time is coming to an end".

Badenoch accused the SNP and Plaid of "ganging up together to talk about breaking up the United Kingdom".

"I don't think anybody in Wales wants to leave the United Kingdom except Plaid," she said.

"They should get on to focusing on people's priorities."

Elsewhere in the interview, Badenoch said her party had a plan to fund 500 more police officers in Wales.

"I want to make sure the people in Wales feel safe and that they're being properly looked after.

"I don't see anyone either from Plaid Cymru or even Reform really taking a serious interest in this."