I regret anxieties over my donations, says FM

Vaughan Gething became Welsh Labour leader in March

Vaughan Gething has said he very much regrets the "anxieties" caused by donations to his Welsh Labour leadership campaign.

The first minister has been heavily criticised for accepting £200,000 from a company owned by a man prosecuted for illegally dumping waste.

He has now asked the Welsh Parliament's standards committee "to consider and bring forward proposals" to update rules on donations to Senedd members.

Welsh Conservative Senedd group leader, Andrew RT Davies, said the move "will not cut the mustard".

The first minster maintains that all current rules were followed with the donation from Dauson Environmental Group.

There have been deep concerns within the Labour party since the story broke.

In a separate development on Tuesday a text message emerged from the pandemic showing Mr Gething telling ministerial colleagues he was deleting messages.

Last week, former transport minister Lee Waters said that it was "shocking" to discover where the money had come from and he should give it back.

In his letter, to Labour chair of the committee Vikki Howells, Mr Gething, said: "I recognise the level of concern raised regarding donations to my campaign as part of the Welsh Labour leadership contest.

"I very much regret the anxieties this caused for other members and I take seriously the work of seeking a resolution with the input of colleagues.

"While Senedd debates have shown it is accepted that the decisions taken complied with existing rules, the wider questions, reservations and concerns raised underscore the need for action that allows us to look at well developed reforms that are fit for the future.

"It is important we work collectively to ensure that the rules and processes relating to political donations are robust, transparent and have the confidence of the public."

'Best practice'

The first minister said that he had "considered carefully the range of views expressed by colleagues in recent weeks" and "given thought to the best route to developing considered reforms that can have a lasting impact".

In his letter, he suggests the committee consider rules on the "level of reporting and disclosure" and "whether there should be a cap on donations from any one entity or individual".

Mr Gething said he will also ask a senior civil servant to "consider recommendations on how to strengthen public confidence regarding any potential conflicts of interest where a Member of the Senedd is also a member of the government".

He said he would like to work with the committee to reconsider arguments for creating a "register of lobbyists" in Wales.

"By looking to best practice that exists in other nations, the Senedd and the Welsh government could benefit from a more transparent system that helps organisations engage decision makers in a way that carries the confidence of the public over the long term," he said.

Shortly after his leadership victory, in March, Mr Gething asked former first minister Carwyn Jones to review the rules for future contests.

On Tuesday, Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies dismissed Mr Gething's letter to the standards committee, saying it "will not cut the mustard".

“It’s not just the sum of the donations, but crucially the source, that has concerned many people across Wales and within Gething’s own party.

“The only way we will be able to put those concerns to bed is with a full, independent investigation into Gething’s campaign donations.”