Labour's Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething vows to fight on despite losing crunch vote
Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething received the result of a crunch no confidence vote in Wales' Senedd.
Wales' First Minister has said he will not resig despite losing a confidence vote in his leadership tonight.
Vaughan Gething insisted he will "carry on doing my duty".
He said that it was a “very disappointing afternoon”, branding the no-confidence motion in him a “transparent gimmick” that was impacted by two members of his party being unwell.
Mr Gething said: “To go into a position where the ill health of two of our members has affected the outcome of the vote,” he said.
“On ill health grounds we have always paired, that means you even up people in one party to another.
“We did that for more than three months with the leader of the Conservative Party.”
He added: “I’m here, proud to be the First Minister of Wales to serve and lead my country. That’s what I’ve done today.”
The vote followed a series of scandals that have called into question his judgment and transparency.
UK Labour leader SirKeir Starmer has so far repeatedly backed the Labour first minister despite the controversy.
Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “Vaughan Gething has lost the confidence of the people of Wales.
“He has lost the confidence of the Senedd.
“The only person who is still batting for Vaughan Gething is Keir Starmer.”
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MSs voted 29 in favour, 27 against the motion of no confidence in the Welsh First Minister - a majority of two.
Following the result, Llywydd Elin Jones said: “It is now for the First Minister to reflect on the view that the Senedd has just expressed and the motion that has been agreed.
“Confidence motions are political yes, but they are also intensely personal and while a vote of this nature will have consequences whatever they may be, I ask us all to treat each other with respect and kindness now.
“The people of Wales expect that of their Senedd.”
The vote does not force the first minister to step down although pressure to do so is likely to grow.
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Questions have been raised over a £200,000 donation to Gething's Welsh Labour leadership campaign, while a row over a leaked message led to him sacking one of his ministers.
Plaid Cymru, which has been in a co-operation agreement with the Government, withdrew support as a result of this.
Mr Gething has been First Minister for 77 days, having succeeded Mark Drakeford in March.
He has been under pressure over a donation from the Dauson Environmental Group, which is owned by David Neal, who has twice been convicted of environmental offences.
Mr Gething took the £200,000, which was the largest individual donation in Welsh government history, during his bid to be Welsh Labour leader.
Last month the pressure increased with the emergence of iMessages with fellow Labour members from the Covid crisis, when Mr Gething was the Welsh health minister, where he said he was going to delete a thread of texts.
This led to suspicions of decisions being covered up.
Mr Gething then sacked Hannah Blythyn, his minister for social partnership, suggesting she had leaked the messages. She denies these accusations.
