‘Rudderless’ Welsh Government is bad for Wales, say Plaid Cymru and Conservatives

Politicians have hit out at the “chaos” surrounding the Welsh Government following the resignation of Vaughan Gething after four of his cabinet members quit.

The Labour First Minister yesterday announced he would stand down after Mick Antoniw, Lesley Griffiths, Julie James and Jeremy Miles said they would be leaving their roles.

All four released statements calling on Mr Gething to go following months of controversy since he took the position in March.

The main rows were over a £200,000 campaign donation Mr Gething received from a businessman convicted of environmental offences and his sacking of former minister Hannah Blythyn.

Both Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives have urged Labour to quickly address the power vacuum in government.

However, the two parties differ on how this should be achieved, with Plaid calling for a snap election and the Tories asking for an interim cabinet to be formed until a new First Minister is chosen.

Mr Gething has already indicated he will carry on leading the Welsh Government until his successor is picked.

Plaid’s Llyr Gruffydd said that with so many pressing issues facing vacant portfolios, the devolved government is “rudderless” and “incapable of delivering for the people of Wales.”

He said: “Welsh politics has entered a period of unprecedented chaos in light of Tuesday’s ministerial resignations.

“At a time when our steel industry is in crisis, we have no economy minister. With councils facing unprecedented pressure, we have no local government minister. And with the cost-of-living crisis still biting, we have no social justice minister.

“The Labour Welsh Government is utterly rudderless and incapable of delivering for the people of Wales.

“With the Labour Group in the Senedd so desperately divided, it is unclear how soon – if at all – the First Minister can appoint new members to his government.

“Today is the last day of the parliamentary term before summer recess. The First Minister must come to the Senedd and set out his plans to ensure a functioning government at the very least.

“The only real way to end the chaos and stop the revolving door of Labour First Ministers is to call an election.”

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “After four months of drift from the Labour Welsh Government, there may be still more to come.

“With the Welsh Government now missing four ministers, people in Wales will rightly want to know how those ministers’ portfolio responsibilities will be carried out while a new First Minister is selected.

“The First Minister should now appoint a new interim cabinet while that process takes place.”

In his resignation statement issued yesterday, Mr Gething denied any wrongdoing.

He said: “This has been the most difficult time, for me, and my family. A growing assertion that some kind of wrongdoing has taken place has been pernicious, politically motivated and patently untrue.

“In 11 years as a minister, I have never ever made a decision for personal gain. I have never ever misused or abused my ministerial responsibilities. My integrity matters. I have not compromised it.

“I regret that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics. I do hope that can change.

“I will now discuss a timetable for the election of new leader of my party. Finally, I want to say thank you to those who have reached out to support me, my team and my family in recent weeks. It has meant the world to all of us.

“To those in Wales who look like me – many of whom I know feel personally bruised and worried by this moment, I know that our country can be better. I know that cannot happen without us.

“There will – and there must be – a government that looks like the country it serves.”