Vaughan Gething, the First Minister of Wales, has announced his resignation after only four months in the job. Earlier in the day, three of his Welsh government ministers and his chief legal adviser had publically resigned, calling for him to step down. Gething had been embroiled in a controversy surrounding a £200,000 donation to his campaign from a businessman convicted of environmental offences.
In his resignation statement, Gething denied any wrongdoing and added that he “regretted that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics”. Gething’s resignation has triggered the second Welsh Labour leadership contest of the year. The other leadership campaign had seen Gething defeat Miles. Miles is thought to be a potential candidate, although he has not yet made a public statement.
Gething had released evidence minutes before his resignation which he argued showed that he had been justified when he decided to sack Hannah Blythyn as a minister.
Two-thirds of the Senedd would need to vote for its dissolution for a snap election to be called. Welsh Conservative Senedd group leader, Andrew RT Davies, said that the resignation was “long overdue”. Meanwhile, Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has called for a snap Welsh Parliament election; this would be two years ahead of the currently scheduled 2026 candidate
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