Vaughan Gething has announced his resignation as Welsh First Minister after the departure of four government members who called for his resignation.
Gething stated he would begin the process of stepping down as the Welsh Labour Party leader and subsequently, as First Minister, while discussing the timeline for electing his successor.
Gething’s decision followed a no-confidence vote loss in the Senedd amid controversies, including his dismissal of former minister Hannah Blythyn and concerns over campaign donations.
The Labour-Plaid Cymru cooperation deal in the Senedd has also fallen apart.
Elected in March, Gething expressed his hope for a period of reflection and renewal over the summer but acknowledged this was unfeasible.
In a defiant statement, Gething denied any wrongdoing, “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.”
Gething, the first black leader of a European nation, remarked on the honour and privilege of showing under-represented communities that there is a place for them in leadership roles.
Prime Minister and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer noted that Gething’s “difficult decision” was deemed the best for Wales at this time.
Four ministers, including Gething’s former leadership rival Jeremy Miles, resigned on Tuesday, openly displaying their dissatisfaction with his leadership.
The resignations of Miles, Mick Antoniw, Julie James, and Lesley Griffiths were posted online.
Pressure mounted on Gething over a £200,000 donation from Dauson Environmental Group, owned by David Neal, who has previous convictions for environmental offenses.
The donation raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest, given that the company received a £400,000 loan from the Welsh government-owned Development Bank of Wales while Gething was economy minister, although he was not involved in that decision.
Gething stated, “This has 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. 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.”
The dismissal of social partnership minister Hannah Blythyn over an alleged leak related to the Covid-19 pandemic added to Gething’s controversies.
Blythyn was implicated in the leak of messages showing Gething’s intention to delete correspondence from a ministerial iMessage group.
Despite Nation.Cymru denying Blythyn as the source, Gething maintained that the leaked messages came from her phone, though he did not claim she was the direct source for the story.
Ministerial resignations on Tuesday made Gething’s position untenable. Jeremy Miles, in his resignation as economy secretary, stated that the events of recent months, including the no-confidence vote loss, were incredibly painful and that repair was impossible under Gething’s leadership.
Housing secretary Julie James expressed fears for Welsh devolution under Gething’s continued role, while culture secretary Lesley Griffiths concluded that leadership repair was unfeasible with Gething.
Counsel general Mick Antoniw also resigned, believing Gething could not continue as First Minister, urging him to prioritize the country’s needs.
Plaid Cymru’s leader Rhun ap Iorwerth called for a snap election instead of another Labour leader, citing a need for national interest over party politics.
Welsh Conservatives leader Andrew RT Davies criticized Labour’s handling of the situation, calling Gething’s resignation overdue and attributing the governance breakdown to Labour’s top ranks, including Keir Starmer. “Wales will remember,” Davies asserted.
