Vaughan Gething to resign as Welsh First Minister after cabinet exodus – read resignation letter in full

Vaughan Gething has announced he will resign as Welsh First Minister following the resignation of four of his cabinet ministers.

In a statement, he 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.”

Gething said that, while he had hoped that a “period of reflection, rebuilding and renewal” could take place over the summer, he now acknowledges “this is not possible”.

He said: “It has been the honour of my life to do this job even for a few short months.”

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Gething had been embroiled in controversy after accepting a campaign donation from a company owned by an individual previously convicted of environmental offences. He lost a no-confidence vote in the Senedd last month over the scandal.

However, in his statement, Gething said: “A growing assertion that some kind of wrongdoing has taken place has been pernicious, politically motivated and patently untrue.

“In 11 years as a minister, I have never ever made a decision for personal gain. I have never ever misused or abused my ministerial responsibilities.

“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. I do hope that can change.”

A timetable for the election of a new leader has yet to be confirmed.

PM thanks Gething for service

Prime Minister Keir Starmer thanked Gething for his service as leader of the Welsh Labour Party and as First Minister.

He said: “Vaughan should take enormous pride in being the first black leader of any country in Europe.

“That achievement will have broadened the ambitions and raised the gaze of a generation of young people in Wales and beyond.

“I know what a difficult decision this has been for him – but I also know that he has made it because he feels it is the best decision now in Wales.”

I want to thank Vaughan Gething for his service as leader of the Welsh Labour Party and as First Minister of Wales. pic.twitter.com/82ToNR0H56

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 16, 2024

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “Vaughan Gething has served the people of Wales, and Welsh Labour, admirably both as a Senedd member, a minister and as First Minister.

“Now is the time to run a fair and collegiate leadership contest and we need to give the space for that to happen.

“Vaughan will continue to serve the people of Wales as leader until a new leader has been elected.”

The news comes just hours after four of his cabinet ministers resigned from their posts and called on Gething to resign with immediate effect.

The announcement means Gething will likely be the shortest-serving First Minister since the Senedd was founded in 1999, having so far spent less than four months in office.

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said that Gething’s resignation was “inevitable” but said “the chaos is not just on him”.

He said: “His opponents within Welsh Labour have been equally dishonest, putting political games before the people of Wales.

“There is something very rotten at the heart of Welsh Labour, that replacing Gething will not solve.”

Vaughan Gething’s statement in full

I have this morning taken the difficult decision to begin the process of stepping down as leader of the Welsh Labour Party and, as a result, First Minister.

 Having been elected as leader of my party in March, I had hoped that over the summer a period of reflection, rebuilding and renewal could take place under my leadership. I recognise now that this is not possible.

It has been the honour of my life to do this job even for a few short months.

To see the dedication to public service from our civil service, and the dedication to civility from the Welsh public.

 To see the election of a new government in Westminster, and the fresh hope that brings to Wales.

I have always pursued my political career to serve Wales.

And being able to show underrepresented communities that there is a place for them, for us, is an honour and privilege that will never diminish.

It’s what drew me into public service. Before becoming an MS I fought employment cases for people who’d been mistreated at work.

I wanted to give power those without a voice. That has always been my motivation.

I also campaigned to help create the Senedd, clocking up 30 years of work to support Wales’ devolution journey.

This has been the most difficult time, for me, and my family. 

A growing assertion that some kind of wrongdoing has taken place has been pernicious, politically motivated and patently untrue.

In 11 years as a Minister, I have never ever made a decision for personal gain. I have never ever misused or abused my ministerial responsibilities.

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. I do hope that can change.

I will now discuss a timetable for the election of new leader of my party.

Finally, I want to say thank you to those who have reached out to support me, my team and my family in recent weeks.

It has meant the world to all of us.

To those in Wales who look like me – many of whom I know feel personally bruised and worried by this moment, I know that our country can be better. I know that cannot happen without us.

There will – and there must be – a government that looks like the country it serves.

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