Counsel general for Wales Mick Antoniw signalled his intention to quit earlier today, saying that he has lost confidence in embattled first minister Vaughan Gething. The first minister has since resigned following a spate of ministerial resignations, leaving Antoniw's position uncertain.
In March Gething became the first black person to lead Wales when he beat rival Jeremy Miles in the Welsh Labour leadership election. The first minister remains mired in controversy after taking £200,000 for his leadership bid from a company owned by a man prosecuted twice in the 2010s for environmental offences. This split the Labour group in Cardiff and prompted calls for Gething to step down. Antoniw backed Miles for the leadership.
In a letter to Gething released by Antoniw today, the counsel general and minister for the constitution said he did not believe Gething can continue. He added: ‘Wales needs confident and stable government. I do not believe you are capable of delivering that. You have lost a vote of confidence in the Senedd. That is something I regard as being of major constitutional importance. It is clear that you no longer command a majority, that you will be unable to enter the agreements necessary to pass a budget, and for all intents and purposes the Senedd is rudderless.’
He added: 'I believe it is now necessary for you to resign to allow for an election for a new first minister and leader of Welsh Labour. In these circumstances and with great regret, if this does not happen I must advise you also that it is my intention to resign as counsel general.'
Antoniw, Labour MS for Pontypridd, has been counsel general since 2021, following a spell in the same role in 2016-17. He is a strong supporter of comprehensive devolution of justice policy and funding to Wales, as recommended in the landmark 2019 report of the Commission on Justice in Wales. The Conservative government at Westminster refused to countenance such a move.
Antoniw was previously a senior partner at trade union firm Thompsons. Gething is also a qualified solicitor and former Thompsons partner.
Ministers Jeremy Miles, Lesley Griffiths and Julie James also signalled their resignations today.
UPDATE 11.30: Vaughan Gething has confirmed his resignation as first minister. Antoniw has yet to comment on whether he now intends to remain counsel general.
This article is now closed for comment.
4 Readers' comments