Welsh Labour MP says Vaughan Gething ‘shouldn’t have accepted’ £200,000 donation
A Welsh Labour MP says Vaughan Gething “shouldn’t have accepted” a £200,000 donation given to him by Dauson Environmental Group during his campaign to become Welsh Labour Leader.
Speaking to S4C’s Y Byd yn ei Le, Beth Winter, the MP for Cynon Valley also called for an independent inquiry into the contribution.
She said: “I’m not going to come on a television programme to defend Vaughan Gething. He shouldn’t have accepted the money. He should’ve returned the money straight away. And he accepted the money from someone who’s guilty of environmental crimes, and there’s all sorts of serious questions that need to be answered – and we need an independent inquiry.”
Review
When asked what that review should look at, Ms Winter said: “The questions the people of Wales are asking. Why accept the money? Should parties accept money from businesses like this?
“There are all sorts of questions, and questions came up in the Senedd today – and the only way we’re going to be able to move on, in my opinion, is by having an independent investigation.
“Sai’n mynd i ddod ar raglen deledu i amddiffyn Vaughan Gething…dyle fe ddim wedi derbyn yr arian.”
Ymateb @bethwinter yr Aelod Seneddol i’r rhoddion dadleuol dderbyniodd Vaughan Gething yn ystod ei ymgyrch i ddod yn Arweinydd y Blaid Lafur yng Nghymru. #ybydyneile | @s4c pic.twitter.com/mC8MJkQvv8
— Y Byd yn ei Le (@ybydyneileS4C) April 25, 2024
“It worries me that someone’s accepted so much money for an internal election, more than £200,000… And if we want to regain the Welsh people’s confidence in politics, they’re not going to accept an internal investigation. We must have an independent investigation.”
When asked if she would be happy for the unspent donation money from Vaughan Gething’s campaign to go into the Welsh Labour Party’s coffers, she added: “No, and we need to have this investigation. The money should’ve been returned when we found out that he accepted the money.
“He shouldn’t have accepted so much money. We don’t want to follow what’s happening in America, where the candidate who raises the most money wins because of how much money they have. What’s happening worries me.
Annual cap
Ms Winter also said she supports Plaid Cymru’s calls for an annual cap on the donations a Senedd Member can accept.
Plaid Cymru and The Welsh Conservatives have both called for an independent inquiry into the situation.
When asked if the Labour party were to hold an independent inquiry addressing these concerns, Conservative Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz, who was also taking part in the programme, said: “I don’t think that would be the end of the matter.” “The fact is, in any internal election in Wales, no one’s ever received a sum of money like £200,000.
We need to look at what sort of impact this had on the [Labour leadership] election and on the new First Minister, he’s not only the Labour leader but the First Minister of Wales too.
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Wow sorry if I’ve missed it but this article fails to mention that Beth Winter has been not been selected as a Welsh Labour candidate for the next election.
” Beth Winter has been not been selected as a Welsh Labour candidate for the next election.”
The Labour Party is going to lengths to avoid explaining that ‘election’ as well.
Good, she is useless
Look to the Tory benches Beth, that is what you are paid for…
If Vaughan Gething had an ounce of integrity he would resign as First Minister. It seems to me there is corruption involved here not only with regard to this donation but in the catalogue of issues regarding Gethings ‘relationship’ with this criminal enterprise. For the sake of the people of Wales he has to go
There is zero “corruption” involved in the donation. But if you have evidence go to the police as corruption is a criminal offence. I agree rules should be changed regarding donations. But as we stand no rules have been broken by this donation.
‘There is zero “corruption” involved in the donation.’
Without an investigation how can you be so sure?
I’m talking about this donation issue in it’s entirety rather than restricting it to the Gething defence which excludes addressing anything beyond the basic – money was declared as required by rules.
There is zero “corruption” involved in the donation.’ Without an investigation how can you be so sure? – There has to be some evidence of corruption for an investigation. Like the CPS has to have some evidence a crime has been committed before pursuing a prosecution.
There doesn’t need to be ‘evidence a crime has been committed’ before an investigation is initiated.An investigation is not analogous with how a CPS prosecution is initiated. An investigation can be initiated on the basis that the Ministerial Code appears to have been broken. From the Ministerial Codehttps://www.gov.wales/ministerial-code-htmlMy underlining Personal Responsibility Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or appears to arise, between their public duties and their private interests;Ministers should not accept any gift or hospitality which might, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an improper obligation;However initiating such an investigation is the… Read more »
and the previous FM found no need for an investigation. This was a donation to a campaign not as such a gift or hospitality. This looks more and more Trumpian. Keep on throwing mud at someone calling them crooked with zero evidence to back up any wild accusations.
The current FM is not bound by decisions made by the previous FM. 20mph limit for example. It was a donation for the personal benefit of Vaughan Gething’s career so how was it not a “gift”?. Maybe read the relevant section of the Ministerial Code https://www.gov.wales/ministerial-code-html “Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or appears to arise,” “Ministers should not accept any gift or hospitality which might, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an improper obligation;” I assume you’re saying that Gething is not “crooked”, the donor has a criminal record. A £200 000… Read more »
You are just repeating your lines without ever providing any evidence of any possible conflict of interest, etc. As for the donor having a criminal record are you saying that those convicted of crimes should not be permitted to undertake any activity in our democracy. Plaid Cymru want prisoners have to have the vote! As for the gift being larger than usual – irrelevant.
It’s all very Trumpian. No evidence just keep on calling someone “crooked” and worse and call for enquiries, etc.
Let an investigation do it’s job an it will shut one of us up.
I’m a member of Plaid, I like Beth Winter she is an old school REAL Labour MP not Tory lite like most Labour MPs.
Vaughan Gething should not have accepted that donation of that size.
The donor should have never offered a donation of that size.
Considering the size of that donation and what it may mean the money should be collected by the Senedd and donated to the Welsh budget to be spent on environmental projects.