Labor concerns grow over donations to Vaughan Gething’s campaign in Wales | Labour

There is growing anger and concern within the Labor Party that the new Welsh First Minister, Vaughan Gething, has received £200,000 from a company whose owner was convicted of environmental crimes, with experts warning he was seriously undermining his authority. and could cost the party votes. the general elections.

Gething, who made history when he became the first black leader of a European country in March, faces growing calls to return the money and order an independent investigation into the donations, which helped him secure a narrow victory in the race. to replace Mark. Drakeford.

This week, Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives led debates in the Senedd on the issue, and in the House of Commons UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak backed calls for an independent inquiry. But the most worrying development for Gething may be the tension within Labor that the party is being dragged into a sordid Westminster-style donations scandal.

Beth Winter, Labor MP for Cynon Valley, south Wales, told The Guardian: “Restoring trust in politics is more important than ever. The current furor around this donation casts a long shadow and there are upcoming elections to win. Clarifying this is not only in the interests of Vaughan Gething, but also for Welsh Labor to reconnect with voters. “An independent investigation is the only way to resolve this.”

Speaking to the Senedd, former Labor deputy minister Lee Waters called the donation “unjustifiable and wrong”. He said: “We are destined to be better than that. The reputation of politics and politicians seems to be lower than ever. “We expect our leaders to model the behavior we want to see, to reflect our nation.”

A senior Labor figure, who asked not to be named, told the Guardian: “I think Welsh Labor are stunned by this whole thing… Everyone I know is horrified. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Welsh politics.”

The figure said the issue had become “insidiously poisonous” within the Senedd Labor group, where a majority supported Mr Gething’s rival in the race for prime minister, Jeremy Miles. “I know Keir Starmer’s office is very concerned about this. I don’t see it disappearing. “This is going to get worse and I honestly don’t know if he (Gething) can survive.”

Two donations of £100,000 to Gething’s campaign came from a company called Dauson Environmental Group, whose director, David John Neal, was convicted of environmental offences.

Gething ordered an internal review led by another former prime minister, Carwyn Jones, while repeatedly emphasizing that he has not broken any rules. But another source said: “That is exactly what David Cameron said about his involvement in Greensill. From a legalistic point of view, he may not have broken any rules, but when you are a leader, you must also have some moral authority. It is not just about being politically successful, but also about having safe ethical standards.”

Since winning the leadership race, Gething has taken part in three Prime Minister’s Question sessions and on each occasion was criticized for his donations.

This week, questions focused not only on Dauson but also on the Veezu taxi company, which also donated money to Gething’s campaign, after it was reported that one of its drivers had refused to pick up a man with a guide dog. Gething said he was shocked by the case and was glad the company had removed the driver from its platform, but believed the public was more interested in the cost of living crisis than who had funded his campaign.

A former Welsh minister said Labor members could not believe Gething’s lack of humility or recognition that there was a problem: “In the short term, Vaughan Gething may feel he can hold out, but the stench is not going away.”

Plaid Cymru has a co-operation agreement with the Labor Party, but its leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said the issue risked poisoning Welsh politics. He said: “This is not the kind of politics we want in Wales. This leaves a very bad taste in the mouth that must be clarified.”

All money left over from Gething’s campaign is expected to be returned to the UK Labor Party. Ap Iorwerth said: “The Labor Party will have to make a decision. Will they accept money from a company whose boss has been convicted of environmental crimes? Or if they send it back because they think it’s the right thing to do, what does that tell us about the prime minister’s trial?”

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Conservatives in Wales, compared the internal investigation to the Soviet politburo “patting itself on the back and saying: ‘we’ve done a great job’”.

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Davies said the saga was preventing Labor from getting on with the business of governing. He said: “We need to get this distraction off the table so the government can get on with the costly task of dealing with health, education and the economy.”

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds said: “This episode has cast a dark shadow over Welsh democracy. “Politics has always been a dirty game in which money is usually king, but this cannot continue like this.”

The dispute over donations has particular resonance in some areas, including Gwent Levels, a beautiful and protected landscape in south-east Wales, where Neal illegally dumped waste.

Catherine Linstrum, co-chair of Friends of the Gwent Levels, said: “This is depressing. Gething should return the money and acknowledge that he has done something wrong.”

Another of Dauson’s companies, Resources Management UK, faced action by Natural Resources Wales after complaints about the smell at a landfill site in Pembrokeshire. “It still stinks,” said local resident Sue Lewis. “I don’t think companies should finance anyone. It seems like they are buying favors.”

Will Hayward, WalesOnline’s Welsh affairs editor, said the saga had badly damaged Gething. “My impression is that, if it were not a matter of months before the general election, there would be movements against him from within the Labor group. The knives are absolutely out of action.”

Laura McAllister, professor of public policy at Cardiff University, said the £200,000 had made a fundamental difference to Gething’s campaign and he was facing a difficult time – a divided party at a time of tight finances, complicated by the imminent end of cooperation with Plaid. agreement. But she said the impending general election could help.

“We know that discipline and the desire to retain power at all costs is what keeps Welsh Labor united no matter how much they disapprove of the actions of the new Foreign Secretary. “I suspect Gething’s future depends on whether those who matter consider him an electoral liability or an electoral asset,” McAllister said.