LONDON: The leader of Wales’ semi-autonomous government faces a no-confidence vote in the Welsh parliament on Wednesday, but he has no intention to step down if he loses, his party said.
Vaughan Gething, the Labour First Minister, is facing a no-trust vote following sustained criticism of his leadership, prompting the opposition Conservatives to call for a vote of no confidence.
Labour, holding 30 of the 60 seats in Wales’ parliament, the Senedd, faces a challenge as two Labour lawmakers were absent due to illness on Wednesday. Labour has previously relied on support from the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru to secure votes, but their cooperation fell apart last month.
Vikki Howells, leading the Labour group in the Senedd, accused the Conservatives of rejecting the tradition of “pairing,” where parties agree to abstain when opponents cannot attend. This situation increases the likelihood of Gething losing the vote.
The Conservatives argue that the pairing system is not typically used for significant votes.
Despite the impending vote, Gething has no intentions of resigning if he loses, dismissing the Conservative move as a mere “gimmick,” according to Howells.
Gething, whose heritage includes a Welsh father and a Zambian mother, made history in March by becoming the first Black leader of a government in the U.K. However, his leadership has been marred by controversy, notably regarding his acceptance of £200,000 ($255,000) in donations from a recycling company whose owner faced legal issues related to environmental offences and health and safety breaches.
While Gething maintained that the donations were transparently declared according to electoral rules, the issue remains contentious. Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth cited the donations as a factor in ending his party’s agreement with Labour.
Wales, with a population of approximately 3 million, constitutes one of the four parts of the United Kingdom, alongside England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While the British government in London oversees defence, foreign affairs, and other U.K.-wide matters, administrations in Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast govern areas such as education and health.
