# The tough choices facing Wales’s next government

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ifs-zooms-in-the-economy-638796/the-tough-choices-facing-wales-s-next-government
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ifs-zooms-in-the-economy-638796/the-tough-choices-facing-wales-s-next-government.md
Podcast: [IFS Zooms In: The Economy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/ifs-zooms-in-the-economy-638796)
Published: 2026-04-15T14:39:30+00:00
Episode link: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/5ea004d9fbcc383829c71657/e/69df949bde282b92728241c4/media.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2699

## Resource

In a few weeks, voters in Wales will choose the next Welsh Government in what could be a historic election. With Labour’s long dominance under pressure, this episode examines the fiscal backdrop to the campaign and the difficult choices facing whoever takes power. Helen is joined by Joe Rossiter, Co-Director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs, and IFS economist David Phillips, to discuss how Wales is funded, how the block grant from Westminster has changed over time, and how devolved tax powers have — and have not — been used. They assess the state of Welsh public services, ask whether Wales should have more powers over tax, spending and borrowing, and explore the constraints facing the next Senedd. They also look at what the parties are promising, where the main dividing lines lie, and why many of the biggest trade-offs are still not being clearly spelled out. Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membership Find out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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