Labour's Vaughan Gething Resigns As First Minister Of Wales
Vaughan Gething became First Minister of Wales earlier this year (Alamy)
4 min read
Vaughan Gething has resigned as First Minister of Wales after multiple members of his ministerial team stepped down in protest of his leadership.
On Tuesday morning four Welsh ministers – Mick Antoniw, Julie James, Lesley Griffiths and Jeremy Miles – resigned from their posts after weeks of rumours that there was going to be a challenge to Gething's leadership.
Gething won the contest to become First Minister in March this year and became the first Black leader of a European country.
Only a few months later in June, he refused to resign despite losing a vote of confidence from members of the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament.
Gething said in a statement that he 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," he said.
"It has been the honour of my life to do this job even for a few short months.
To see the dedication to public service from our civil service, and the dedication to civility from the Welsh public. To see the election of a new government in Westminster, and the fresh hope that brings to Wales."
He added that it had been the "most difficult time, for me, and my family".
"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."
Gething had faced criticism as his leadership campaign received £200,000 from a company run by a man who has been convicted twice for environmental offences.
A Labour source told The Guardian in the days following his selection as leader that there remained a “real sense of anger” surrounding the donation.
He has also come under pressure over sacking of the minister for social partnership Hannah Blythyn. He alleged that she had leaked text messages that appeared to show he had been in support of deleting messages during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following Gething's resignation, a Welsh Labour MP told PoliticsHome that Gething's leadership had become "untenable" and that people felt "deceived" by him.
"There was a lot of trust lost", they said, adding that the relationship between Welsh Labour and Welsh voters needs an "immense amount of repair work".
The MP added that during the General Election campaign, many voters in Wales were unhappy with the state of Welsh Labour.
"Time and time again, people were saying, I'm voting for you and I'm voting for Keir Starmer, but I will not be voting Labour in the Senedd elections," they said, with some "completely turning their backs on the party".
"We saw that with the rise of Reform, especially in South Wales. So we need to do a lot. We've got 18 months until the Senedd elections, unless one is called earlier.
"There's a lot of torched earth that's got to be fixed in the Senedd Labour group and within Welsh Labour members more generally... People feel a bit aggrieved and want to feel like they are on the right side again."
Prime Minister Starmer released a statement thanking Gething for his "service as leader of the Welsh Labour Party and as First Minister of Wales".
"Vaughan should take enormous pride in being the first black leader of any country in Europe," Starmer said.
"That achievement will have broadened the ambitions and raised the gaze of a generation of young people in Wales and beyond.
"I know what a difficult decision this has been for him – but I also know that he has made it because he feels it is the best decision now for Wales. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours."
The leader of Plaid Cymru Rhun ap Iorwerth said that the "people of Wales have lost faith in the First Minister" and that "belatedly he has done the right thing" to resign.
"But the people of Wales are losing confidence in Labour’s ability to govern Wales," he continued.
"This could be the third Labour First Minister in seven months – a revolving door of chaos. 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. After 25 years at the helm, Labour is unable to rebuild and refresh from within.”
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