From law student to First Minister of Wales : Who is Vaughan Gething?
Vaughan Gething has announced he will resign as First Minister after four members of his Government quit in protest at his leadership.
The resigning ministers – including his former leadership rival Jeremy Miles – said Mr Gething had to go to restore confidence in the Welsh Government after a series of scandals.
Mr Gething lost a vote of no confidence in the Senedd following rows over his decision to sack former minister Hannah Blythyn and a furore about donations he took while running to be Welsh Labour leader, while Labour’s co-operation deal in the Senedd with Plaid Cymru has collapsed.
When he officially stands down he will be the shortest serving First Minister of Wales since devolution, so let's look back at his political career.
Where did Vaughan Gething's career start?
Mr Gething began his political career whilst studying law at Aberystwyth University, first becoming president of the student's union before progressing to become the president of the National Union of Students Wales.
He also led the 'Students Say Yes' campaign ahead of the 1997 devolution referendum.
A career as a lawyer followed before Mr Gething moved into politics more permanently.
Having served on Cardiff Council since 2004 - where he defeated Wales' first black head teacher Betty Campbell to represent Butetown - he was elected to the Welsh Assembly in 2011.
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Prior to becoming a Member of the Senedd (MS), Mr Gething became the youngest ever President of Wales Trade Union Congress (TUC) in 2008.
His most notable role prior to taking the top job was as health minister during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he rose to national prominence as a key player in the Welsh Government's response.
However, Mr Gething's story started long before a career in politics beckoned.
Vaughan Gething's childhood
Born in Zambia in 1974, he moved with his Welsh father and Zambian mother to Wales aged two.
Mr Gething's father, from Ogmore-by-Sea, had been offered a job in Monmouthshire.
However, that offer was withdrawn when he arrived with wife and children from Africa.
It was the first of many times the now-former first minister faced racism - something he has spoken about openly.
After his father was refused that job, Mr Gething spent much of his childhood in Dorset.
First years in the Senedd
Prior to entering the Senedd as a representative himself, Mr Gething worked as a researcher for former Assembly Members Val Feld and Lorraine Barrett.
He was also the chair of the cross-party project 'Right to Vote', encouraging greater participation by black minority ethnic communities in Welsh public life. He held the role between 1999 and 2001
The 50-year-old was elected to the Senedd (then the Welsh Assembly) in 2011, representing the constituency of Cardiff South and Penarth. He continues to represent the seat, living there with his wife and son.
He quickly made an impact, becoming the Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty in June 2013 under the leadership of then-first minister Carwyn Jones.
He was appointed Health Minister in 2016 - a role he would continue for a large part of the pandemic.
It was in this role, in 2018, that Mr Gething made his first bid to become first minister. He was defeated by his predecessor Mark Drakeford.
The pandemic
Covid-19 brought with it not just a major international crisis but also new prominence for the Welsh Government and Welsh politics more broadly.
In his position as health minister, Mr Gething would often broadcast directly into people's front rooms as he delivered updates on the virus and the fight against it.
Arguably second in command to First Minister Mark Drakeford during the emergency, the MS for Cardiff South and Penarth became recognisable not just across Wales but the UK more widely.
His role in tackling the pandemic was later front and centre during his second (and this time, successful) campaign to become first minister.
He then went on to be Economy Minister between May 2021 to March 2024.
Becoming First Minister
Following his victory over Economy Secretary Jeremy Miles to become Wales' fifth first minister, Mr Gething said: "Today we turn a page on our nation's history."
Reflecting on his career at the time, his wife Michelle told ITV Wales: "I think resilience is one of his big strengths."
However, it turned out resilience would not be enough to overcome persistent questions about donations to his campaign by businessman David Neal, who was previously convicted for environmental crimes.
Two donations amounting to £200,000 were given by Mr Neal.
It recently transpired Mr Neal was under criminal investigation for a third alleged environmental offence when he gave the money - something the first minister said he did not know at the time.
Mr Gething has always maintained he followed all rules on donations.
Covid-19 InquiryThe last week of Mark Drakeford's time in office saw the Covid inquiry come to Wales.
This put further pressure on Mr Gething after it was alleged he had misled the inquiry - a possible criminal offence - when he said he did not delete any messages sent to other ministers during the pandemic.
The now-former first minister has denied the allegation.
Mr Gething fired Hannah Blythyn from his cabinet after claiming she had leaked a message to the press in which he appeared to tell a ministerial group chat: "I’m deleting the messages in this group. They can be captured in an FOI (Freedom of Information request) and I think we are in the right place on the choice being made."
The message was allegedly sent on August 17 2020, during Mr Gething's time as health minister.
Ms Blythyn has repeatedly denied she leaked any messages to the press, including posting a statement on social media following her sacking saying she was "deeply shocked and saddened."
In the same statement, she added: "Integrity is all in politics and I retain mine."
Both she and former transport minister Lee Waters, who introduced the Welsh Government's controversial 20mph policy, were not in attendance during the no confidence vote, turning the finely balanced numbers in the Senedd against Mr Gething. Both were ill.
After the Senedd voted by 29 members to 27 saying they had no confidence in him, Mr Gething said he would not resign.
The result was not binding and did not compel him to do so.
He was seen in tears during the debate on Wednesday 5 June and was comforted by colleagues.
Talking to ITV Wales following the debate he said: "If anyone has questions about my integrity, I'd like to see some evidence about what that looks like. Where is their evidence that I've ever done anything in a way I should not as a minister?
"I can tell you there is no evidence of that because it has not happened."
He added the vote was "an exercise in muck throwing" and described things said about him during the debate as "disgraceful."
Mr Gething's resignation means just a few months after completing one leadership contest, Welsh Labour faces a completely new one.
It will see Wales move on to its third first minister in less than a year.
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