Vaughan Gething to Resign as First Minister of Wales After 118 Days, Facing Controversies and Resignations

Vaughan Gething has announced that he will quit as first minister of Wales after 118 days in the role.

Gething made history in March when he became the first black man to be elected Welsh Labour leader.

But during his short time in Wales’ top job, Gething came under sustained attack – both for his decision to sack a cabinet minister and for a series of concerning donations he accepted while running to be leader.

This led to the collapse of a co-operation agreement between his party and Plaid Cymru, and he subsequently lost a non-binding vote of no confidence in the Senedd.

On Tuesday, several members of his cabinet resigned and called for him to step down.

Gething responded with a statement announcing that 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”.

“I had hoped that over the summer a period of reflection, rebuilding and renewal could take place under my leadership,” Gething continued.

“I recognise now that this is not possible.”

Gething, whose full name is Humphrey Vaughan ap David Gething, was born in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, in southern Africa in 1974.

His father, a vet from Ogmore-by-Sea in Bridgend, had moved there to work and met Gething’s mother, a chicken farmer. (BBC)