2024 Welsh government crisis

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2024 Welsh government crisis
Vaughan Gething with Keir Starmer, two weeks before Gething's resignation
Date17 May – 16 July 2024 (2024-05-17 – 2024-07-16)
CauseCampaign donation of £200,000 from an unrepentant criminal businessman
Resignation of several cabinet members
MotiveTo declare no confidence in Vaughan Gething as First Minister, and no confidence in the Welsh Government
ParticipantsAndrew RT Davies
Rhun ap Iorwerth
Mick Antoniw
Julie James
Lesley Griffiths
Jeremy Miles
OutcomeResignation of Vaughan Gething

In June 2024, Vaughan Gething, first minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour, faced a non-binding vote of no-confidence in him as First Minister, tabled by the Welsh Conservatives, which he lost by a margin of 29 votes to 27 but did not resign at the time. Following mounting criticism over a campaign donation of £200,000 from an unrepentant criminal businessman, and the resignation of four cabinet ministers, on 16 July 2024 Gething announced his resignation as First Minister. His resignation will formally take effect when his successor is elected.

Background

Gething being sworn in as first minister on 20 March 2024

In February 2024, it was reported that Vaughan Gething, during his successful campaign to succeed Mark Drakeford as First Minister of Wales in the February–March 2024 Welsh Labour leadership election, had received a campaign donation of £200,000 from David John Neal, a business man[1] who had previously been convicted twice of environmental offences as head of two companies, Atlantic Recycling and Neal Soil Suppliers.[2][3] One of Gething's ministerial colleagues, Lee Waters (who supported Miles in the Welsh Labour election), described the donation as "completely unjustifiable and wrong".[2][3]

The following month, an inquiry by BBC Wales shared letters written by Gething in 2016 and 2018 to Natural Resources Wales, requesting the public body to ease restrictions on Atlantic Recycling. Former Welsh Government minister, Leighton Andrews, was quoted as saying that the donations were "damaging devolution" and called for his fellow party member to return Neal's campaign donation,[4][5] which Gething refused to do.[5]

Gething also faced questions in April 2024 over "huge" loans made to one of David Neal's companies by the Development Bank of Wales, the most recent being a £400,000 loan made in February 2023 to fund the purchase of a solar farm. The Development Bank of Wales fell under Gething's remit as economy minister during his time in the post from May 2021 to March 2024.[6]

During the inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic response, Gething stated that he had not deliberately deleted any messages from his phone.[7] On 7 May, Nation.Cymru obtained text messages from Gething in a Welsh Government group chat, in which he said "I'm deleting the messages in this group. They can be captured in an FOI [Freedom of Information request] and I think we are all in the right place on the choice being made."[7] Gething denied allegations of perjury put to him in by Rhun ap Iorwerth in First Minister's Questions the same day, describing the allegations as 'obnoxious'.[8] A few days later, he removed Hannah Blythyn from her role as Minister for Social Partnership, alleging that she was the leak of the text messages.[9] She denied this.[10] Blythyn was replaced by Sarah Murphy on 17 May.[11]

On 17 May, Rhun ap Iorwerth announced that Plaid Cymru had withdrawn from the co-operation agreement with Welsh Labour,[12] saying "I remain deeply concerned that the First Minister has failed to pay back the £200,000 donation to his leadership campaign from a company convicted of environmental offences, and believe it demonstrates a significant lack of judgment."[13] Gething responded by saying that "The co-operation agreement was about mature politics, working together on areas where we agree. While it was always a time-limited agreement, we are disappointed Plaid Cymru has decided to walk away from their opportunity to deliver for the people of Wales."[13]

Government crisis and resignation

See also: Next Welsh Labour leadership election

On 5 June, after just 78 days as First Minister, Gething faced a non-binding vote of no-confidence in him as First Minister, tabled by the Welsh Conservatives led by Andrew RT Davies, in which he lost by a margin of 29 votes to 27.[14] Welsh Labour MSs Hannah Blythyn and Lee Waters were not present due to illness.[15] Prior to the vote Gething and his allies described the no-confidence motion as a 'gimmick'.[16] Gething responded by saying "I'm here, proud to be the first minister of Wales to serve and lead my country."[15] It was the second such motion to happen, the first being against fellow Cardiff South and Penarth member Alun Michael in 2000.

Despite losing the no confidence vote, Gething announced he would not resign as First Minister on 8 June.[17] However, on 16 July he announced his resignation[18] an hour after ministers Mick Antoniw, Julie James, Lesley Griffiths and Jeremy Miles stepped down from their posts.[19] His resignation, announced 118 days into his premiership,[20] will formally take effect when his successor is elected, and will make him the shortest serving First Minister since the role was created, a record previously held by Michael.[21][22] Commenting on the resignation, Michael said Gething was "in effect forced out". He suggested that Eluned Morgan and Huw Irranca-Davies could stand in the Welsh Labour leadership election to succeed him.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ Gwyneth Rees, 'The fly-tipping scandal that brought down Labour’s Welsh leader', Daily Telegraph, 6 June 2024 (subscription required); archived at archive.ph, accessed 17 July 2024
  2. ^ a b "Gwent Levels waste dumping: David John Neal pleads guilty". BBC News. 21 February 2024. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Vaughan Gething accepts £200k from environmental offender's company". BBC News. 21 February 2024. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Vaughan Gething helped donor's waste offence company". BBC News. 12 March 2024. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b Grey, Jack (17 March 2024). "Vaughan Gething rejects calls to return £200k donation". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  6. ^ Hayward, Will (22 April 2024). "Firm that bankrolled Vaughan Gething's campaign received £400k in loans of public money". Wales Online. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b Mansfield, Mark (7 May 2024). "Vaughan Gething misled UK Covid Inquiry by not admitting he deleted messages". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  8. ^ Mosalski, Ruth (7 May 2024). "Vaughan Gething denies 'obnoxious' claim he committed perjury at Covid inquiry". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  9. ^ Mosalski, Ruth (16 May 2024). "Vaughan Gething sacks member of cabinet over leak". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  10. ^ "I am deeply shocked and saddened by what has happened today. I am clear and have been clear that I did not, nor have I ever leaked anything. Integrity is all in politics and I retain mine. 1/2 🧵". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  11. ^ Price, Emily (17 May 2024). "Sarah Murphy replaces sacked junior minister Hannah Blythyn". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  12. ^ Hayward, Will (17 May 2024). "Plaid Cymru pulls out of deal to support Labour in the Senedd". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  13. ^ a b Mansfield, Mark (17 May 2024). "Plaid Cymru pulls out of Co-operation Agreement with the Welsh Government". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Vaughan Gething: Welsh first minister to face no-confidence vote". BBC News. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Vaughan Gething: Welsh first minister vows to 'carry on' after loseing no-confidence vote". BBC News. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  16. ^ Price, Emily (5 June 2024). "First Minister set to defy Senedd no confidence vote". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Vaughan Gething won't quit after losing vote of no confidence". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  18. ^ Grierson, Jamie (16 July 2024). "Vaughan Gething resigns as first minister of Wales". the Guardian. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  19. ^ Grierson, Jamie (16 July 2024). "Vaughan Gething's leadership in peril as four Welsh ministers resign". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  20. ^ Mercer, Rosie; Deans, David (16 July 2024). "Who is Vaughan Gething, the outgoing first minister of Wales?". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Vaughan Gething quits as Welsh First Minister following resignations from his government". ITV News. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Alun Michael no longer shortest serving First Minister after Northern Ireland FM steps down". Nation.Cymru. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  23. ^ Palmer, Mark; Deans, David (16 July 2024). "Gething haunted by his decisions, says Drakeford". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
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