We’ve been speaking to people from Spittal, a Pembrokeshire village next to Withyhedge landfill.

The site has been described as a “stink bomb on steroids” by residents and is run by a company owned by David Neal, who donated £200,000 to Gething’s leadership campaign.

Sue Lewis, 56, says Gething “had to go”.

"He could’ve cut ties with David Neal and return the donation money. He could’ve done a lot, but it’s all water under the bridge now, isn’t it?

"Hopefully not contaminated water from our local landfill."

“I think it’s about time. I think he should’ve resigned months ago,” says Allan Alcock, 64.

“If he’s such a good mate of David Neal’s why didn’t he tell him to get it sorted out... I’m glad to see the back of him, maybe now something will get done.”

Nineteen-year-old Joseph Wilson says: “Hopefully, because of the smells around here, whoever comes in next might do a bit more to sort it out."

Gething has been embroiled in recent controversy over his decision to sack colleague Hannah Blythyn as a cabinet secretary.

He claimed she leaked messages from a ministerial group chat but, until now, did not detail what this claim was based upon.

He released a screenshot of an iMessage chat from August 2020 involving 11 Welsh Labour ministers, which he says was sent to the Welsh government by a journalist - published for the first time unredacted.

"When an iMessage chat is viewed on an individual’s device, the initials of all other participants are visible, apart from the participant themselves," he says, pointing out that Blythyn’s initials are the only ones missing, so the grab must have come from her phone.

"By cross referencing the subsequently located chat membership with the photograph of the chat fragment that was provided to us by the journalist, it becomes clear that the only missing initials on this image are that of the former minister for social partnership. It is also clear that the image was captured in 2020 and was retained before the leak become evident earlier this year.

“I took the difficult decision to ask the former minister to leave the government based on this information and the lack of a credible explanation."

He adds that ministers are responsible for the security of their data and therefore the grab equated to a “breakdown of trust... regardless of how the photograph came into the journalist’s possession”.

Image source, Welsh government

Hefin David, one of the first minister's staunchest allies on the Labour benches, says Gething had "acted with incredible dignity" but now was the time for him to go.

"He has listened to the voices of those who left his government and has decided to stand down.

"I think he's done what he thinks is in the best interest of Wales, that's his choice."

Asked if he had a candidate in mind to replace the first minister he says it was "too early to think about that" and rejected Plaid Cymru's calls for a snap election.

Andrew RT Davies, the Welsh Tory leader in the Senedd, says the outgoing first minister refused to shake his hand as he attempted to wish him well.

"For the 17 years I've been in this institution, I don't think you and I have ever shared a lift," he says, speaking to Gething in the Senedd.

"This morning, the doors opened and you were standing there, I stretched out my hand to shake yours and wish you all the best for the future.

"Sadly you declined."

Who could succeed Vaughan Gething? At the moment it's unclear, but there are a few names doing the rounds.

Jeremy Miles was narrowly beaten by Gething to the role of Welsh Labour leader in March.

Ken Skates had been tipped as a potential first minister candidate in the past.

Mick Antoniw is a senior figure on the left of the Welsh Labour Party and backed Miles over Gething to become first minister.

Hannah Blythyn, who was sacked from Gething's government, had been rumoured to want the job in the past.

Eluned Morgan sat out the last race but ran to be leader in 2018, when Mark Drakeford won.

Huw Irranca-Davies launched a bid in 2018 but did not get enough supporters at the time to get on the ballot.

• Read more here

Vaughan Gething says Wales needs to be a "better place" for everyone.

"There will, and there must be in the future, a government that looks like the people it serves," he tells the Senedd.

Speaking shortly before first minister's questions, Huw Irranca-Davies, climate change and rural affairs minister, spoke to BBC Wales.

He says it's a "very difficult day" and Vaughan Gething had made a "brave decision" to step down.

He says he had not planned to step down after four members of Vaughan Gething's cabinet resigned.

When asked if he would stand as a "unity candidate" at the next leadership contest, he says he "does not even want to consider that today".

"It's not the time or the day to do it," he said. He says that what was important immediately was that the Labour party reflected on how they moved forward internally.

"Not just within the Senedd group but with our trade union and affiliates and our members right across the country, and also getting on with the day job, because we still have a government to run," he added.

A tense and sometimes odd first minister's questionspublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 16 July 2024

14:56 BST 16 July 2024

David Deans
BBC Wales politics reporter

Once upon a time the Senedd was a parliament anywhere else. Opposition politicians have a go, government politicians heckle back and support their first minister.

But since Vaughan Gething became first minister, there has often been an difficult atmosphere on the benches behind him during first minister's questions.

Today's was even more unusual and occasionally odd. There were standard questions about policy, mixed in with attempts at kind words for an outgoing first minister, complicated by the tension that remains from weeks and weeks of nasty, fractious rows.

Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative leader, said he had tried to shake Gething's hand but it was refused.

He wished him all the best, but then went on to ask what had cost him the role - the £200,000 donation or the appointment of Jeremy Miles to his cabinet?

Mr Gething didn't really engage with the question and said Mr Davies was demonstrating his "good faith".

There were fewer niceties from the leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, who called for an election.

Mr Gething picked up on Mr ap Iorwerth's reference to a solar farm application from the company that gave him money, saying it was a smear and that it had "nothing to do with me".

At the end of his personal statement he was greeted with a round of applause, although some MSs could be seen applauding more than others.

During FMQs Labour politicians seemed pretty quiet, with the occasional voice of support.

Vaughan Gething earlier told the Senedd he has never made a decision "for personal gain".

"A growing assertion that some kind of wrongdoing has taken place has been pernicious, politically motivated and patently untrue," he says.

"I have worked hard, followed the rules and done really difficult and demanding jobs for my country."

Nelli Bird
BBC News

In Penarth, which sits in Vaughan Gething's constituency, we've been speaking to more people about their views on the first minister stepping down.

"If I’m honest it doesn’t come as much of a surprise," says Charlie Ryley.

"I think with all the controversies with donations from certain individuals... he was under quite a lot of pressure.

Mike Collins adds: "He should have gone before.

"I think he could have saved his career if he’d been honest and realised he’d made and error in accepting the money and giving it back.

"He decided not to."

"I thought he was on borrowed time," says Linda Kidby.

However Linda adds she thinks Mr Gething "seemed to do a lot of good".

The BBC has been told that a cabinet reshuffle is expected to take place in the coming days.

Vaughan Gething has three ministerial posts to fill, and needs to find a counsel general.

It is not clear how he will replace those roles in what will be an interim administration.

More from First Minister's Questions now.

Adam Price, the former leader of Plaid Cymru, tells Gething that on a personal level, he realises "how difficult a day this will be for you".

He says "whatever our disagreements", this is an important moment to show kindness and empathy.

He goes on to say that when trust evaporates, it becomes impossible to make a difference in people's lives.

Price talks about the Labour government in Westminster committing to creating an independent ethics commissioner.

He asks if Gething thinks if Wales had a system like that in place, the government could have avoided "some of the pain of the last few months".

Gething says he's made several points about his integrity that have "simply not been accepted by other people", and that he doesn't think changing the ministerial code or how it's investigated would change much.

"That's just about the brutal business of politics and what you can get away with," he adds.

David Deans
BBC Wales politics reporter

Another question facing the now outgoing first minister is what to do about the vacant posts that have arisen from the resignations.

Will he try to fill them on an interim basis? The post of counsel general - the Welsh government's chief legal adviser - we are told cannot be left empty.

Much of what happens next in the future contest will also be determined by Welsh Labour's timetable - we are told senior officials will be holding a regularly scheduled meeting on Saturday.

Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies says the important thing to understand is if the Labour group "so riven" that they are unable to deliver on their mandate, and asks if the Labour group can get to the 2026 election supporting a new first minister.

Gething responds: "Of course we can."

Davies comes back, saying it is "vital now this uncertainty is clarified and a clear timetable is put in place" so people know government is continuing.

Gething says he will stay in the role until Senedd chooses a successor, adding the executive of Welsh Labour will determine the rules and timetable of the contest.

The Senedd "will then need to decide whether it wishes to support that person", he says.

"Early in the autumn a new person will be stood here as the leader of Welsh Labour, and this place will need to decide whether to elect that person as a candidate to be first minister," he says.

A defiant statement from the outgoing FMpublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 16 July 2024

14:06 BST 16 July 2024

David Deans
BBC Wales politics reporter

If that had not been abundantly clear from the events of this morning, it is clear from Vaughan Gething's statement in the Senedd that he is not going of his own volition.

He was defiant, it was very much a statement from someone who felt they were being unfairly ushered out.

Those on the other side of the argument would I imagine strongly disagree.

Gething said there had been a "growing assertion of some kind of wrongdoing has taken place has been pernicious, politically motivated, and painfully untrue".

"In 11 years as a minister, I have never, ever made a decision for personal gain," he said. "I have never, ever misused or abused my ministerial position".

While he did not financially gain directly from the £200,000 donation from Dauson Environmental Group opponents might argue that, actually, he may well have benefited from taking a large amount of money for his leadership campaign - unheard of in Welsh Labour contests. It may have helped him win.

The source of that cash, from a company owned by a man previously convicted of illegally dumping waste and then not cleaning it up, had upset some in Labour over how it looked more than anything else.

Lee Waters, Llanelli MS, in attacking the donations, said in the Senedd in May: "They say that when accepted standards of behaviours -norms - are undermined, it lowers expectations, and that lays the ground for a new set of weaker standards to take hold."

The Welsh Conservatives' Andrew RT Davies is next to ask a question at first minister's questions.

He starts off by saying that when he saw Gething this morning, he tried to shake his hand.

"Sadly, you declined that hand," he says, adding that he still wishes Gething's family all the best.

He then asks Gething if it was the acceptance of the £200,000 donation to his campaign or the appointment of his leadership contender and team to his cabinet that cost him the role of first minister.

Gething tells him that he looks forward to the people of Wales exercising their judgement at the ballot box.

He says he's been clear about his integrity and that it's not possible to carry on as FM.

Gething adds that he also looks forward to seeing the "rejection" of the Conservatives in the Senedd election, and what a new first minister will do with new Labour MPs' mandate to lead Wales.

Chris Mason
Political editor

And just when you might have been forgiven for thinking politics might just quieten down a bit.

I am typing these words from the M4 as I hurtle to Cardiff.

Westminster has generated its fair share of turbulence in the last decade - but it is far from unique as a source of instability, turbulence and change in UK politics.

Here’s how 2024 has looked so far in the devolved politics of the United Kingdom.

In February, we had a new first and deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly respectively, after a long period without devolved government at Stormont.

In March, we had a new first minister of Wales, when Mark Drakeford stood down and Vaughan Gething took the job.

In April we had the resignation of the first minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf.

In May we had a new first minister of Scotland, John Swinney.

June was the quiet month then. Just the small matter of a general election campaign.

And here we are in July, and Gething is resigning

Gething says he has always pursued his political career "to serve Wales".

"And being able to show underrepresented communities that there is a place for them, for us, is an honour and a privilege that will never diminish," he says.

Mirroring his statement earlier, he reiterates that "a growing assertion that some kind of wrongdoing" has taken place is untrue.

"This has been an incredibly difficult time for me and for my family," he says.

"I have worked hard, followed the rules, and done really difficult and demanding jobs for my country," he says.

And with that, first minister's questions is now under way.

Plaid Cymru's Siân Gwenllian says the chaos in the Labour party in the last few months has been unforgiveable and has delayed government business.

There's been no focus on delivering change, she says, adding that this isn't the way to govern.

In response, Gething says he doesn't share the member's view.

He adds that despite all the noise "in this place", the party has got on with doing its job over the past few months.

Gething finishes his statement by thanking those who have reached out to support him, his team and his family.

"It really does mean a great deal," he says.

He says he knows the country must be better and it will, and that there must be a future where the Wales has a government that looks like the country it serves.