A former minister urged the Welsh Government to cough up cash for a culture sector in crisis after being deprioritised in budget decisions since the start of devolution.

Alun Davies MS criticised cuts in the Welsh Government’s budget, warning arts funding has been down the pecking order for decades.

He said: “The politics of devolution has been that this government has deliberately taken a decision to deprioritise culture funding in terms of its overall budget.

With fears for the future of Wales’ national museum, library and opera, Mr Davies, a member of the Senedd culture committee, warned funding cuts are undermining cultural expression.

Pressing Wales’ new culture secretary, he said: “I think if the Welsh Government is serious about what it says – then it has to put its money where its mouth is, quite frankly.”

Lesley Griffiths, who came into post in March, responded: “I don't disagree with you about the funding and, obviously, we had to make some very difficult choices.

“I've come in at a time when, as you say, the budget has been cut significantly.”

Ms Griffiths said the Welsh Government will be launching a new cultural strategy in the next couple of weeks.