The 118th day: First Minister Vaughan Gething’s resignation

16 July 2024 | Admin

Four Welsh Ministers have today tendered their resignations and called for the First Minister’s resignation. Mick Antoniw, Lesley Griffiths, Julie James and Jeremy Miles formally resigned from their Cabinet positions on Tuesday morning and used their statements to appeal to Vaughan Gething to step down.

Gething, who has been First Minister of Wales for only 118 days, has now officially begun the process to resign.

Gething made history in March when he became the first black man to be elected Welsh Labour leader. Yet he failed to make his mark in Government and his tenure as First Minister has been marred with controversy. From the Dauson Environmental Group Ltd donation scandal during the leadership election, to the more recent sacking of junior Minister Hannah Blythyn, Gething squandered a lot of good will with his Labour colleagues.

Notably, in his resignation statement Gething has denied any wrongdoing, commenting: “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.” Ultimately, Vaughan Gething failed to address the perception of this wrongdoing and this has led to his downfall.

As the dust begins to settle, many will now be asking what comes next. The Senedd Labour Group is in disarray and there have been appeals for unity. Jeremy Miles would have been the natural choice some months ago, but his candidacy is in doubt. By resigning he will be seen to have instigated the putsch, which reduces his merits as a unity candidate. Instead, Huw Irranca-Davies and Ken Skates have been touted as possible replacements.

Reaction from the Bay

Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservative Senedd group has commented that Gething’s resignation is “long overdue” and condemned those who “stood by his side and are culpable for the breakdown in governance in Wales.”

Rhun ap Iorwerth, Leader of the Plaid Cymru Senedd Group, has called for a snap election, claiming that “the people of Wales must be given the opportunity to elect a new government” in the wake of this controversy.