Wales First Minister faces no-confidence vote in Senedd today

Wales First Minister Vaughan Gething faces a no-confidence vote in the Senedd today, sparked by the collapse of a deal between Labour and Plaid Cymru and a controversial donation.

The motion, proposed by Welsh Conservatives leader Andrew RT Davies, aims to address concerns over Mr Gething’s “judgement, transparency, and truthfulness.”

If Mr Gething loses the vote, he would not be forced to resign but would face significant political pressure.

The Welsh Conservatives tabled the vote following a donations controversy and concerns about deleted text messages related to Mr Gething’s appearance at the Covid Inquiry.

Mr Gething recently dismissed Delyn MS Hannah Blythyn from her role as Minister for Social Partnership over alleged media leaks, a claim she denies.

With the Senedd evenly split between opposition parties and Labour, the First Minister will need the full backing of the Labour group to survive the vote.

On Tuesday, Mr Gething expressed confidence in securing the necessary support.

However, the Welsh Conservatives have gained the backing of Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats.

Despite this, their combined support accounts for exactly half of the Senedd’s 60 seats, falling short of a majority.

For the no-confidence motion to pass, a Labour MS would need to rebel, abstain, or fail to vote

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, “In accepting a £200k donation from a convicted polluter, the First Minister has undermined his own office and the confidence of the people of Wales in his ability to govern.”

He added, “At a time when trust in politics is low, any perception of outside influence in the Labour Welsh government’s decision-making is eroding public confidence. The First Minister’s unwillingness to admit to his significant error of judgment signifies a worryingly carefree attitude.”

Mr ap Iorwerth also pointed out that despite a Labour colleague reportedly offering to help repay the controversial donation, Mr Gething declined, further inflaming public anger.