Vaughan Gething sacks member of cabinet just weeks into job over leak

Vaughan Gething has sacked a member of his cabinet. The First Minister has fired minister for social partnership Hannah Blythyn after a message he sent to other Labour ministers was leaked to the media. Ms Blythyn has denied any involvement in the leak.

In a statement issued on Thursday, he said: "I have today asked the minister for social partnership, Hannah Blythyn, to leave government.

"I would like to put on record my gratitude for the work the member for Delyn has led in government since 2017, most notably her leadership on the LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales, the fire and rescue services review, and our valuable work with social partners."

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Earlier this month, a screenshot of a message from a private ministerial group chat on iMessage from during the pandemic was leaked to the media. You can read that story here. In the thread, Mr Gething told the group, of which there were 10 members, "I’m deleting the messages in this group. They can be captured in an FOI [Freedom of Information request] and I think we are all in the right place on the choice being made." The message's existence was first leaked to Nation Cymru.

The initial messages are referencing a meeting of the Labour group of Senedd members. The thread is from the date the Welsh Government announced that A-level and GCSE students would be awarded the grades estimated for them by their teachers. .

A spokesperson for the Covid inquiry said at the time they had been made aware of the messages and are considering whether Mr Gething will be asked to give further evidence as a result. Mr Gething faced criticism from opposition politicians that the message contradicted what he had told the inquiry in evidence, something he denied. When asked in the Senedd about deleting messages because he could be forced to release them at a later date, which is an offence under the Freedom of Information Act. Mr Gething admitted he wrote the message but denied it would be a breach of the law or his requirements of appearing at the public inquiry. He called a claim by Plaid Cymru that he had committed perjury "obnoxious". You can see that here.

In a statement issued today, Thursday May 16, Mr Gething said: "Having reviewed the evidence available to me regarding the recent disclosure of communication to the media, I have regrettably reached the conclusion I have no alternative but to ask Hannah Blythyn to leave the Government.

"I’d like to record my gratitude for the work the Member has done to date, including her leadership through the fire and rescue services review, outstanding work leading the LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales and invaluable work on the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act.

“It is of vital importance we are able to maintain confidence amongst government colleagues so that we work as one to focus on improving the lives of the people in Wales.

“Given Hannah’s talents and experience, I have been clear there is a route back for her to take up a government position again in future. The government has offered ongoing support to the member.”

Ms Blythyn, the MS for Delyn, backed Mr Gething's rival Jeremy Miles in the leadership campaign. After the announcement from the FIrst Minister she wrote on X: "I am deeply shocked and saddened by what has happened today. I am clear and have been clear that I did not, nor have I ever leaked anything. Integrity is all in politics and I retain mine. For a kid from Connah’s Quay it is an immense privilege to serve the community that shaped me, let alone to have served in my country’s government. I will say no more at present."

Andrew RT Davies MS, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: "Vaughan Gething’s decisions during the Labour leadership campaign are catching up with him. Just weeks into his time as First Minister Vaughan Gething has had to sack somebody from his cabinet, which is almost unprecedented in recent memory in Wales.

“Vaughan Gething needs to prove quickly that he is capable of governing Wales because as it stands his government is being stretched to breaking point by internal divisions.” For the latest politics news in Wales sign up to our newsletter here.

“Now Ms Blythyn needs to be clear about where she obtained the messages she leaked from and, if she still has them, why she hasn’t handed them to the Covid inquiry.”