Mark Drakeford denies being 'bounced' into social care pledge by Corbyn
The First Minister has rejected suggestions that Welsh Labour has been bounced into a major spending commitment by the party's UK leader.
In an interview with ITV Wales on Saturday, Jeremy Corbyn, said that Labour would develop a system of free social care in Wales. The party's Welsh manifesto simply promises to ''engage with people and communities'' over ''extending free social care.''
Mark Drakeford has insisted there's no discrepancy. He told BBC Wales' Sunday Politics that the wording is different because the Welsh Government's ''offer on social care is already far more generous than it is across our border.''
However Plaid Cymru has said it's another proof that ''Labour promises and Labour in government Labour mean different things.''
Labour's commitment to providing free social care in England is one of its main policies in this general election but decision-making on social care here is devolved to the Welsh government.
During a visit to Swansea on Saturday Jeremy Corbyn told me that ''Labour in Wales will develop a social care system [that brings] free personal care for those who need it.'' Any such spending would lead to an increase in the Welsh Government's budget but without any obligation on Welsh ministers to follow suit.
The Welsh Labour manifesto simply states that ''With this additional resource [from a UK Labour government] we would engage with people and communities to inform our approach to extending free social care.''
So has the UK leader bounced the Welsh party into a commitment? Mark Drakeford was asked that on BBC Wales' Sunday Politics programme. He said,
Plaid Cymru has seized on it as evidence of Labour promising one thing at a UK level and doing another in Wales.
Jeremy Corbyn's two day tour of Wales continues on Sunday with visits to seats across the North.
During his visit to Bangor, Corbyn insisted he was not attempting to override the Welsh leadership.
Time is running out for all parties: there are just three full days left until voting begins in the General Election.