Wales: Vaughan Gething quits as first minister

Written by David Fletcher 18 Jul 2024
Wales: Vaughan Gething quits as first minister

Wales' first minister Vaughan Gething has announced his resignation just four months after taking office. This decision follows the resignation of three government ministers and his top legal adviser, who called for his departure due to ongoing controversies. Gething has faced scrutiny over a £200,000 campaign donation from a convicted businessman. In his resignation statement, he denied any wrongdoing and lamented the loss of the burden of proof in politics. Sir Keir Starmer thanked Gething for his service, acknowledging the difficulty of his decision. Plaid Cymru called for a snap election; Labour holds 30 of the 60 Senedd seats, so requires support from opposition to govern. Gething was the first black leader of a national government in Europe. His brief tenure was marked by internal conflict and external controversies, ultimately leading to his resignation.

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