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Welsh government condemned for awarding public funds to Israeli arms manufacturer
Smoke rises following an Israeli army air strike in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, July 22, 2025

PLAID Cymru has condemned the Welsh government for awarding public funds to a weapons manufacturer supplying military equipment to Israel, despite First Minister Eluned Morgan previously assuring the Senedd otherwise.

Following a freedom of information (FOI) request by Amnesty International UK, the Welsh government admitted this week that it had given £500,000 in grant funding to Senior, a company that exports military components directly to Israel, including parts for F-35 fighter jets and Apache gunships.

In December 2024, Ms Morgan told the Senedd: “No Welsh government financial support has been provided to companies in Wales who export arms to Israel since the 7 October attacks.”

Further FOI requests by Amnesty also led to the revelation that the Welsh government does not carry out due diligence checks for links to human rights abuses before awarding public money to private companies.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth branded the findings “both shocking and shameful” and said that the Welsh government had “serious questions to answer.”

He also accused the Ms Morgan of misleading the Senedd.

“Plaid Cymru once again calls on the Labour UK government to impose a complete arms embargo, recognise Palestinian statehood and implement further sanctions on the Israeli government at once,” Mr ap Iorwerth said.

“The international community cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the horrors happening every single day in Gaza.”

The Welsh government said: “Senior UK is an automotive company based near Caerphilly, [which is] manufacturing parts for electric vehicles, including buses.

“We provided a grant for them to renovate a building on the site in Crumlin which is expected to create and safeguard over 50 automotive jobs in the area.”

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