Tuesday, June 04, 2024
Gething scandal rumbles on
Welsh Liberal Democrats have said that the latest development in the Vaughan Gething donations scandal raises further questions about the integrity and judgement of the First Minister.
They are responding to a report by BBC Wales that the company that bankrolled Vaughan Gething's successful bid to become Wales' first minister was linked to a criminal investigation at the time,
The BBC say that a criminal investigation into suspected environmental offences by Resources Management Limited (RML) is being carried out by Natural Resources Wales. This is a firm which is owned by millionaire businessman David Neal, who donated £200,000 to Gething's leadership campaign:
BBC Wales Investigates can also reveal that a senior Welsh Labour figure offered to lend Mr Gething money so he could pay back the donation in full, but he declined to take up the offer.
Mr Gething, who narrowly won the Welsh Labour leader contest earlier this year, previously said he had done nothing wrong and has not broken the ministerial code.
The continuing row in Wales is an unwelcome distraction to Sir Keir Starmer during the general election campaign - although the Labour leader has publicly backed Mr Gething.
RML runs the Withyhedge landfill site near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, which people have complained since October 2023 is a "stink bomb on steroids".
RML said it would "continue to fully cooperate with any pending investigations by Natural Resources Wales".
But it is not the first time a waste management company controlled by Mr Neal has been investigated.
He was twice convicted for environmental crimes relating to two companies in 2013 and 2017, and one of those also pleaded guilty in March this year to another offence.
The BBC speculates as to who knew about this investigation, saying that NRW is overseen by the Welsh government and it had been briefing ministers about the Withyhedge site controlled by Mr Neal since before Mr Gething became first minister in mid-March:
Health secretary Eluned Morgan and then-climate change minister Julie James both had meetings with the regulator about problems at Withyhedge in February.
It was revealed in March that Mr Gething has also previously spoken to NRW on behalf of Mr Neal back in 2016, asking them to ease restrictions on one of his businesses, Atlantic Recycling Ltd.
The second chunk of money Mr Neal gave Mr Gething in January 2024 was donated the day before another of Mr Neal's company's outlined plans for a new solar farm on the Gwent levels, in an area of Special Scientific Interest.
In a statement Mr Neal said: "All donations made have come from a separate account to those used for the development of our business; we have never requested or expected anything in return."
Now there is going to be a no confidence vote on Wednesday in the First Minister, which the Welsh Liberal Democrats will be supporting.
They are responding to a report by BBC Wales that the company that bankrolled Vaughan Gething's successful bid to become Wales' first minister was linked to a criminal investigation at the time,
The BBC say that a criminal investigation into suspected environmental offences by Resources Management Limited (RML) is being carried out by Natural Resources Wales. This is a firm which is owned by millionaire businessman David Neal, who donated £200,000 to Gething's leadership campaign:
BBC Wales Investigates can also reveal that a senior Welsh Labour figure offered to lend Mr Gething money so he could pay back the donation in full, but he declined to take up the offer.
Mr Gething, who narrowly won the Welsh Labour leader contest earlier this year, previously said he had done nothing wrong and has not broken the ministerial code.
The continuing row in Wales is an unwelcome distraction to Sir Keir Starmer during the general election campaign - although the Labour leader has publicly backed Mr Gething.
RML runs the Withyhedge landfill site near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, which people have complained since October 2023 is a "stink bomb on steroids".
RML said it would "continue to fully cooperate with any pending investigations by Natural Resources Wales".
But it is not the first time a waste management company controlled by Mr Neal has been investigated.
He was twice convicted for environmental crimes relating to two companies in 2013 and 2017, and one of those also pleaded guilty in March this year to another offence.
The BBC speculates as to who knew about this investigation, saying that NRW is overseen by the Welsh government and it had been briefing ministers about the Withyhedge site controlled by Mr Neal since before Mr Gething became first minister in mid-March:
Health secretary Eluned Morgan and then-climate change minister Julie James both had meetings with the regulator about problems at Withyhedge in February.
It was revealed in March that Mr Gething has also previously spoken to NRW on behalf of Mr Neal back in 2016, asking them to ease restrictions on one of his businesses, Atlantic Recycling Ltd.
The second chunk of money Mr Neal gave Mr Gething in January 2024 was donated the day before another of Mr Neal's company's outlined plans for a new solar farm on the Gwent levels, in an area of Special Scientific Interest.
In a statement Mr Neal said: "All donations made have come from a separate account to those used for the development of our business; we have never requested or expected anything in return."
Now there is going to be a no confidence vote on Wednesday in the First Minister, which the Welsh Liberal Democrats will be supporting.
Their view is that Gething may have followed all the rules, but his judgement in this matter has been very suspect. They also want to see a cap on all political donations to preveent this happening again.
