LONDON, July 16 (Bernama-dpa) -- The leader of Wales, Vaughan Gething, is quitting after four members of his government resigned and demanded he leave office, reported German news agency (dpa).
Gething said he had “taken the difficult decision to begin the process of stepping down as leader of the Welsh Labour Party and, as a result, first minister” and will now discuss a timetable for the election of his successor.
Gething lost a vote of no confidence following rows over his decision to sack former minister Hannah Blythyn and a furore about donations he took while running to be Welsh Labour leader.
He was only elected to the role in March and in a statement said he had “hoped that over the summer a period of reflection, rebuilding and renewal could take place under my leadership” but “I recognise that this is not possible”.
In a defiant message, he denied any wrongdoing: “My integrity matters. I have not compromised it.
“I regret that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics.”
On Tuesday morning four ministers – including Gething’s former leadership rival Jeremy Miles – resigned and called for him to quit.
Miles, Mick Antoniw, Julie James and Lesley Griffiths posted their resignation letters online in an open show of discontent with Gething’s continued leadership.
Gething has been under pressure over a £200,000 (US$260,000) donation to his campaign from Dauson Environmental Group, which is owned by David Neal, who has twice been convicted of environmental offences.
His sacking of social partnership minister Hannah Blythyn added to the controversies around Gething’s leadership.
She was fired over the alleged leak of messages relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The news website Nation.Cyrmu has denied that she was the source of the leaked messages, which showed Gething claiming he would delete all correspondence from an iMessage group of Welsh ministers.
Gething has insisted that leaked messages to the media came from Blythyn’s phone but said he has “never tried to claim” she was the direct source for a Nation.Cymru story on the contents of a ministerial iMessage chat.
The pressure on Gething continued to mount until Tuesday’s ministerial resignations left his position unsustainable.
-- BERNAMA-dpa
