Vaughan Gething: Wales’s first minister loses confidence vote

05 June 2024 , 17:31

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Vaughan Gething: Wales’s first minister loses confidence vote

Wales’s first minister has lost a confidence vote.

Twenty-nine members of the Senedd voted in favour of the motion of no confidence in Vaughan Gething, while 27 voted against.

Mr Gething has only been first minister since March, but in that time he has faced questions over a controversial £200k donation to his leadership campaign from a man convicted of environmental offences.

He said the donations had been made in line with party protocols and has refused calls to return the money.

Mr Gething also faced accusations he misled the COVID Inquiry over deleted messages and sacked one of his ministers for allegedly leaking information to the media.

Plaid Cymru then withdrew from a cooperation deal they had with the Labour government in which the party lent its support on dozens of key policy areas.

The motion of no confidence had been put forward by the Conservatives, the largest opposition group in the Senedd (Welsh parliament).

Despite losing, Mr Gething would not have to step down as the vote is not binding, but it would put further pressure on the embattled leader.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given his backing to the party’s leader in Wales, telling reporters on the campaign trail Mr Gething was doing a "good job".

Emma Davis