Welsh Labour crisis as Tories move vote of no confidence against Vaughan Gething
After weeks of political rows, Mr Gething's time in office now remains uncertain.
The Tories have exploded a political bomb in Cardiff, as they table a vote of no confidence in Labour First Minister Vaughan Gething.
In a statement this afternoon, the Welsh Tories’ leader said members of the Welsh Assembly will have their say next week on the First Minister’s career.
Andrew RT Davies added: “Next week Senedd Members will have the chance to have their say on Vaughan Gething’s judgement, his transparency, and his truthfulness.
“The litany of unanswered questions has paralysed the Welsh Government to the point that Gething has been completely unable to take action to address record NHS waiting lists, sliding educational attainment and high economic inactivity.
“It’s time to put an end to the obfuscation, the drift and the infighting and vote no confidence in Vaughan Gething.”
Mr Gething’s first months in the job have been marred by scandal and controversy, with the top Labour politician facing pressing questions on everything from his campaign donations and his truthfulness at the Covid inquiry.
The Vote of Confidence debate and vote will take place on Wednesday 5th June.
The motion’s text reads that the Welsh Tories propose to the Senedd:
- Recognises the genuine public concern over the First Minister accepting a £200,000 donation for his Labour leadership campaign from a company owned by an individual who has two environmental criminal convictions, and regrets the poor judgement shown by the First Minister in accepting this donation, and his failure to repay it.
- Regrets the publication of Welsh Government ministerial messages where the First Minister states his intention to delete messages, that could have later been helpful to the Covid-19 inquiry in its deliberations around decision making at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite the First Minister telling the UK Covid-19 inquiry that he didn’t delete any messages.
- Notes the dismissal by the First Minister of the Minister for Social Partnership from his Government, and regrets that the First Minister is unwilling to publish his supporting evidence for the dismissal, and notes the former Minister for Social Partnership’s strong denial of the accusations levelled against her.
- For the above reasons, has no confidence in the First Minister.
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Two weeks ago, Mr Gething sensationally sacked a minister and accused her of leaking a message that showed him confessing to deleting Covid WhatsApps during the pandemic.
He said: “Having reviewed the evidence available to me regarding the recent disclosure of communication to the media… I have no alternative but to ask Hannah Blythyn to leave the Government”.
On May 7, a leaked WhatsApp message suggested Mr Gething had misled the Covid inquiry regarding the deleting of WhatsApp messages.
In a statement to the inquiry at the start of its probe, the now-First Minister said he had WhatsApp’s automatically deleted messages setting turned on, meaning key records of his time as Welsh health minister during the pandemic were missing as evidence.
His inquiry “statement of truth” was signed by him, pledging that the claims were true, and acknowledging that proceedings may be brought against anyone who makes false statements.
However a leaked message appeared to show the First Minister admitting to deleting messages to avoid them being released by a Freedom of Information request.
Responding to today’s surprise sacking, the Welsh Tories said: “Vaughan Gething’s decisions during the Labour leadership campaign are catching up with him”.
“Just weeks into his time as First Minister, Vaughan Gething has had to sack somebody from his Cabinet, which is almost unprecedented in recent memory in Wales, for leaking to the media about him.
“Vaughan Gething needs to prove quickly that he is capable of governing Wales, because as it stands his government is being stretched to breaking point by internal divisions.”
A day later, Plaid Cymru pulled out of its co-operation agreement with the Welsh Labour government.
Plaid's leader Rhun ap Iorwerth told Sky News he met with Welsh Labour First Minister Vaughan Gething earlier today to reveal the decision, blaming a "change in attitude" from the government that meant "a number of things had been brought into focus".
Welsh Labour has 30 out of 60 seats in the Welsh Parliament, so the vote of confidence will come down to a knife-edge.
