Outrage as Vaughan Gething said to be in line for peerage

Martin Shipton

Disgraced former First Minister Vaughan Gething is being lined up for a peerage by Keir Starmer, according to a report in The Times.

He is one of a number of Labour loyalists expected to be drafted in to the House of Lords to help stave off defeats in a chamber where the party does not have a majority.

Gething was forced out of office in July 2024 following scandals including receiving donations totalling £200,000 to his Welsh Labour leadership campaign from a company owned by businessman David Neal, who received two suspended prison sentences for dumping toxic sludge in the precious wetlands landscape of the Gwent Levels.

Nation.Cymru also revealed how Gething had lied on oath to the UK Covid Inquiry, failing to reveal that he had deleted text messages exchanged with ministerial colleagues during the pandemic when he was Health Minister.

The news was greeted with outrage within Welsh Labour, which is already facing defeat in next May’s Senedd election.

One Welsh Labour source told Nation.Cymru: “That will go down like a lead balloon on the doorstep.”

Another said: “It was really frustrating and disappointing to read about this. Surely Keir Starmer can shore up his numbers in the House of Lords in a way that doesn’t undermine Welsh Labour’s election chances. The First Minister is doing a great job putting Vaughan’s failures behind us and driving a really positive agenda: this decision just serves to undermine her work. Like the majority of Welsh Labour members I’d urge Keir Starmer not to do this. He should remember we cannot deliver for anyone if we go against the electorate, who do not like Vaughan Gething and his donations.”

And another Welsh Labour source told us: “The problem is that not only does he not think he’s done anything wrong, but clearly neither Eluned nor Keir do either.”

‘Infantry’

The story in The Times states: “Sir Keir Starmer will appoint two dozen Labour peers as ‘infantry’ to help push through controversial legislation in the new year after a string of defeats in the House of Lords.

“The Prime Minister is poised to ennoble former politicians, party aides and union figures before crucial local elections in May.

“Among those set to be elevated is Matthew Doyle, who was Starmer’s director of communications in opposition but lasted only nine months in the role in No 10.

“Another is Vaughan Gething, who as first minister of Wales became the first black leader of a European country. He was forced from office after only four months in July last year, as four senior members of his government resigned over a controversial £200,000 leadership donation. Gething denied wrongdoing.

“Further conversations have been held in No 10 about handing peerages to Katie Martin, a business adviser to Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, and Carol Linforth, who ran Labour events and operations for more than 20 years before stepping down last month.

“Others in contention are Paddy Lillis, a former general secretary of the Usdaw shop workers’ union, and John-Paul McHugh, former general secretary of Scottish Labour and assistant general secretary of the Community union.

“Some will be included on the forthcoming list, which could be published as soon as next week, while others may be held back for future rounds of peerages.

“There are expected to be about 24 nominations by Starmer, with other parties’ and groups’ allocations taking the total to about 33.

“Labour insiders voiced concern about some of those on the list being given ‘rewards for failure’, saying they were partly to blame for the government’s faltering start and low poll ratings.

“The list, which must be vetted by the House of Lords Appointments Commission, is intended to boost Labour’s numbers in parliament’s upper house. A string of defeats in the Lords, including on the Employment Rights Bill and amendments to the planning bill, have slowed government attempts to pass legislation at speed. “When all the opposition align against us, we get thumped,” one government source said.

“Labour has 210 peers, against 283 for the Conservatives, 75 Liberal Democrats, 178 crossbenchers, 42 non-affiliated members and 14 peers from smaller parties. The chamber also reserves 26 seats for bishops, the lords spiritual.”

‘Astounding’

Mims Davies MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, said: “What is being speculated
on is somewhat astounding. The Labour UK Government is brilliantly good at helping people to fail upwards.

“A reward for pure failure– and it reveals all we need to know about the government’s list of priorities as they look to stuff the House of Lords with more cronies.

“In reality, a somewhat disgraced and very brief First Minister looks set to gain – despite being forced out of office after plunging his Party in the Senedd into a scandal having accepted a £200,000 political donation from a twice-convicted criminal, as well as failing to get a grip of the health and education crises in engulfing Wales.

“The Prime Minister and invisible Secretary of State for Wales surely must reconsider this move, then quickly re-direct their attention to actually helping the people of Wales with what really matters in their daily lives – better NHS provision, better transport, education and getting the Welsh economy thriving.”