Vaughan Gething to stand down from Senedd at next election
Vaughan Gething, the Labour former first minister of Wales who stood down following a series of scandals, has announced he will not seek re-election for the Senedd.
Mr Gething, the MS for Cardiff South and Penarth, said it had been “an immense honour” to serve his constituents and in the Welsh Government as he made the announcement.
On X, formerly Twitter, he wrote: “I have spoken to the First Minister to confirm that I will not be seeking a role in government and that I will support her leadership as a backbencher.”
After paying tribute to his successor Eluned Morgan, Mr Gething added: “I will continue to serve the constituency until 2026 and look forward to working on issues where I can further the causes of social justice that drew me into public service.”
‘Inspiring’
The Labour MS added: “As a Welshman born in Zambia, it has been a great honour to serve in the Welsh Government for over a decade.
“The opportunity to make a difference alongside inspiring people and movements, determined to make change happen, is a special privilege. One I will always be grateful for and proud of.”
Mr Gething lasted less than 140 days as first minister, having presided over a turbulent period in office, beset by rows over donations and sacked ministers.
He took over from Mark Drakeford in March, and announced his intention to resign in July after four members of his government quit, criticising his leadership.
During the last leadership race, Nation.Cymru revealed that Mr Gething took a £200,000 donation for his campaign from a company owned by a man twice convicted of environmental offences, which led to some members of his own party criticising his judgment.
In June, Mr Gething lost a vote of no confidence in the Senedd, after rows over the donation, and his decision to sack Delyn MS Hannah Blythyn as a minister.
Ms Blythyn was removed from Vaughan Gething’s cabinet in May after she was accused of being the source of a leaked iMessage screen grab published by Nation.Cymru.
The image revealed the First Minister had told a pandemic era ministerial group chat that he was deleting messages because they could be subject to Freedom of Information legislation.
Ms Blythyn denied the being the source of the leak saying her integrity remains intact.
Nation.Cymru then took the extraordinary step of confirming she was not the source of the leak.
Health secretary
Baroness Morgan was health secretary from 2021 until she succeeded Mr Gething – himself a former health secretary – as leader of Welsh Labour on July 24, and was then sworn in as the first woman First Minister of Wales.
She paid tribute to her predecessor, and said he had made “a truly historic contribution to Wales in some of the toughest of circumstances”.
Baroness Morgan added: “I know that Vaughan will go on to make important contributions to our country in the years ahead.
“Diolch Vaughan am bopeth rwyt ti wedi neud dros ein gwlad (Thank you Vaughan for everything you have done for our country).”
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Labour MP for Torfaen, and a senior minister in Sir Keir Starmer’s Government at Westminster, said Mr Gething had given “extraordinary service to Wales” in a tribute on social media site X.
“I will always remember how he stepped up during the pandemic, showing integrity and commitment in the hardest of times,” he added.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Shocked at this because he’ll always be remembered for his removal from office due to the ‘£200k from a criminal’ scandal – so his career options must be limited.
On the other hand, the cynic in me thinks he’s got something better lined up for his own personal agenda, which as we all know is paramount.
A nice ermine robe most likely …
This is what he’s even mentioned himself, but he’ll have to ‘sign on’ in London for just £300 a day, plus whatever consultancy payments he can get from Dodgy Dave Neal to scupper any toxic waste management legislation.
As mentioned below there are some very dishonourable 3rd sector organisations where he’d fit in and enjoy the lack of scrutiny, or he could go full circle and back home to Zambia as High Commissioner.
“back home to Zambia as High Commissioner”. Vaughan Gething is as Welsh as you or I. To say otherwise, as you do, no ifs no buts – racist.
Lots of speculation about his future but really it boils down to either a seat in the Lords or a move to the Commons when a suitable vacant seat arises. No Tories to dispose of in Wales so would he have a punt in England ?
Please point out where I referred to skin colour?
My reference was to the fact that he was born in Zambia and half Zambian.
The worst form of racism is race card racism, that is both hypocritical and divisive. Sounds like he’s already left you his card.
I don’t like Gething because his total lack of integrity has tarnished this country, but then his priority has always been himself.
By “his own personal agenda” do you mean his career aspirations? It seems a bit mean to condemn him for having those. EVERYONE has those. Mine are to retire as soon as I am able
Sounds to me that he knew he would never be selected to stand in 2026, not even under the proposed new voting system.
Still, apart from heading up some dreadful third sector body, I have no idea who will employ him after his short tenure as FM.
I have heard he is going to take over the Plassey Fish and Chip shop in Penarth.
Seriously, a disastrous politician and an even worse FM.
That sounds a bit fishy. Gethin is more into waste management.
Could someone tell me, like Lis Truss, will VG receive a pension based on the office he held for a month or so?
If so, this is yet another scandal that will follow him around.
Excellent. He’s an amoral, lying grifter, and clearly too thick to hold public office.
Adrian what do you think of the far-right racist and lying coward Nigel Farage who has very close associations with convicted fraudsters – https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/03/george-cottrell-nigel-farage-reform-uk-montenegro?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
What has Farage’s character defects got to do with an opinion of Gething? He was brought down by his own clumsy arrogance in official and interpersonal dealings and is going because he knows he wouldn’t get elected. He typifies many politicians of all parties from Labour to Plaid to Tories and SNP. A nice sinecure in a ‘3rd Sector’ organisation is probably already promised as the quid pro quo of going now just before the conference season, such that any potential embarrassment is drowned by the general political noise.
Farage’s close associations with a criminal fraudster has everything to do with it. If Adrian’s accusations are principled then he should have no problem saying he would never vote for a party led by this dubious extremist. Would you have voted Plaid in Cardiff West in July knowing their candidate was a criminal?
If you don’t agree with someone’s comment just state a few facts that contradict that comment.
Bringing another random person into the argument instead just means you’re unable to contradict the original statement.
Good riddance…
And should have been kicked out of the Senedd for flagrant breaches of the Nolan principles in public life..
Selflessness,Integrity,Objectivity,Accountability,Openness,Honesty & leadership.
And FM Morgan is so equipped…!
It’s surely for the best. Mr Gething is bound to have realized that his chances of rebuilding his political future would be inconceivably slender.
I guess The Baroness didn’t give him a job and he’s stuck on his meagre £72,000 so he’s got no choice poor chap. i agree with the MP for Torfaen that Mr Gething has given “extraordinary service to Wales” (in fact I would go as far as calling his time as first Minister Unbelievable) and I think that his decision to try an find gainful employment elsewhere is probably one of the greatest services he has done for his country. Does that mean that he is now unanswerable for his previous actions?
He made a good stalking horse for First Mate Morgan…
Why wait? Go now!! How much will we have to pay when he goes? When I worked if anyone handed in their notice they would leave empty handed.
Still lasted longer than Liz Truss
That’s hardly something to be proud of
Welsh Labour’s Vaughan Gething was and still could have been Wales First Minister but his pigheadedness and refusal to admit fault when he accepted £200k from a twice convicted criminal was the catalyst to his own political demise. He not only shamed his office but those in Wales who face daily racism due to the colour of their skin who looked up to him not only as a man but celebrated him as Europe’s first black leader of any country. And instead of accepting that he, Vaughan Gething, made an error of judgement, apologised, and tried to heal the gaping… Read more »
If the donation was a problem why haven’t the rules been changed?
Perhaps he has become a director in the waste company he got the £200k from.