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Vaughan Gething resigns as first minister of Wales Vaughan Gething resigns as first minister of Wales
(32 minutes later)
Resignation comes after four Welsh ministers stepped down in apparent attempt to force his handResignation comes after four Welsh ministers stepped down in apparent attempt to force his hand
Vaughan Gething has announced he is to resign as first minister of Wales after months of turbulence in the Senedd. Vaughan Gething has announced he is quitting as first minister of Wales following a brief and turbulent period in the job after his fate was sealed by the resignation of four of his ministers.
His resignation comes after four Welsh ministers stepped down from their posts in an apparently calculated move to force his hand. Gething has faced a series of controversies, including over donations and claims he sought to delete sensitive messages, since he took over from Mark Drakeford as first minister and the leader of Welsh Labour in March.
Gething, 50, the first Black leader of a European country, refused to resign in June despite losing a vote of no confidence. He took up the role in March. Responding to the news, Plaid Cymru called for a snap Senedd election, while the Welsh Conservatives said Keir Starmer was “culpable for the breakdown in governance in Wales” for having backed the first minister.
The Senedd vote was called by the Conservatives over £200,000 of donations made to Gething’s leadership campaign by a company owned by a man previously convicted of environmental offences. Gething, 50, who was the first Black leader of a European country, lost a vote of confidence in the Senedd in June, but refused to step down. His hand was forced, however, after four ministers resigned from the Welsh government on Tuesday, all of them urging Gething to stand down, saying his position was untenable.
The Labour first minister has also come under pressure over the sacking of Hannah Blythyn from her role as the minister for social partnership, alleging she was the leak of text messages that appeared to show he had advocated deleting messages during the Covid pandemic. In a statement later on Tuesday, Gething wrote: “I have this morning taken the difficult decision to begin the process of stepping down as leader of the Welsh Labour party and, as a result, first minister.
Before Gething’s resignation, he faced another potentially damaging vote in the Senedd on Wednesday after the Welsh Conservatives tabled a motion to try to compel him to publish the evidence he used to sack Blythyn. “Having been elected as leader of my party in March, I had hoped that over the summer a period of reflection, rebuilding and renewal could take place under my leadership. I recognise now that this is not possible.”
Announcing his plans to step down in a lengthy statement he said: “I have this morning taken the difficult decision to begin the process of stepping down as leader of the Welsh Labour party and, as a result, first minister. Having been elected as leader of my party in March, I had hoped that over the summer a period of reflection, rebuilding and renewal could take place under my leadership.
“I recognise now that this is not possible.”
After thanking those who supported him, Gething hit out at his critics. “A growing assertion that some kind of wrongdoing has taken place has been pernicious, politically motivated and patently untrue,” he said. “In 11 years as a minister, I have never ever made a decision for personal gain. I have never ever misused or abused my ministerial responsibilities.After thanking those who supported him, Gething hit out at his critics. “A growing assertion that some kind of wrongdoing has taken place has been pernicious, politically motivated and patently untrue,” he said. “In 11 years as a minister, I have never ever made a decision for personal gain. I have never ever misused or abused my ministerial responsibilities.
“My integrity matters. I have not compromised it. I regret that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics. I do hope that can change.”
His statement also indicated that he felt he had been targeted in part because of his race, as he said: “To those in Wales who look like me, many of whom I know feel personally bruised and worried by this moment, I know that our country can be better. I know that cannot happen without us.”
Gething said he would set out a timetable for the election of new leader of the Welsh Labour party.
Drakeford had stepped down aged 71 after over five years in the role, a year after the death of his wife.
The confidence vote in June was called by the Conservatives over £200,000 of donations made to Gething’s leadership campaign by a company owned by a man previously convicted of environmental offences.
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“My integrity matters. I have not compromised it. I regret that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics. I do hope that can change.” He has also come under pressure over the sacking of Hannah Blythyn from her role as the minister for social partnership, alleging she was the source of leaked text messages that appeared to show he had advocated deleting messages during the Covid pandemic..
He said he would set out a timetable for the election of new leader of the Labour party. Before Gething’s resignation, he wasfacing another potentially damaging vote in the Senedd on Wednesday after the Welsh Conservatives tabled a motion to try to compel him to publish the evidence he used to sack Blythyn.
Rhun ap Iorwerth, the Plaid leader, called for immediate Senedd elections, which are not currently due till May 2026. “The people of Wales have lost faith in the first minister – belatedly he has done that right thing and resigned,” he said. “But the people of Wales are losing confidence in Labour’s ability to govern Wales.
“Labour has put party interests ahead of the interests of the nation for too long. The people of Wales must be given the opportunity to elect a new government and an election must be called.”
Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “Vaughan Gething’s resignation is long overdue. But there can be no doubt that his Labour colleagues, from those who resigned today all the way up to Keir Starmer, have stood by his side, and are culpable for the breakdown in governance in Wales. Wales will remember.”