Kemi Badenoch 'worried' about Welsh government demands for more powers

The leader of the UK Conservatives has said she "would be very worried" about a Plaid Cymru Welsh government getting more powers in Wales.

Kemi Badenoch said the demands by First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth for devolution and control over areas such as policing and justice, rail infrastructure and the Crown Estate "is not credible".

Badenoch was visiting a galvanising works in Llanwern near Newport on Friday.

Earlier the first minister said his government needed the "tools" to do the job.

The Conservative leader said asking for more powers after two months was "an instant fail".

She added: "Let's see what Plaid actually do. They've got in, and the first thing they're doing is asking for more powers.

"What's wrong with the powers that they already have? That is not credible".

Ap Iorwerth met with new Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Glasgow on Thursday, saying it was "too early" to know whether the Labour leader would agree with the Welsh government's calls for more powers.

Speaking afterwards, he said Burnham had been "serious" about discussions in an "open spirit".

During Friday's visit, Badenoch also defended her party's record in Wales despite the Conservatives' worst ever Senedd election result in May.

She said her party in opposition "can hold people to account by pointing out what they're doing wrong and showing the alternative plan and that's what we're doing".

She added: "We are the main opposition in terms of the only people who are actually showing what Plaid is doing wrong".

Plaid Cymru does not have a majority in the Senedd and needs the help of other parties to pass its budget and other legislation.

While she ruled out doing a formal deal with other parties, Badenoch said "if any party has a sensible offer which we agree with, if it was in the Conservative manifesto, is the right thing to do, then yes, we'll vote for those things".