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	In December 2023 Gething became one of two candidates in the ] to replace Drakeford as party leader and Wales' First Minister.<ref>{{cite news\|url=https://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-miles-joins-race-to-succeed-mark-drakeford-as-labour-leader-in-wales-13030866 \|title=Jeremy Miles officially joins race to succeed Mark Drakeford as Labour leader in Wales \|work=Sky News \|date=18 December 2023 \|access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref>		In December 2023 Gething became one of two candidates in the ] to replace Drakeford as party leader and Wales' First Minister.<ref>{{cite news\|url=https://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-miles-joins-race-to-succeed-mark-drakeford-as-labour-leader-in-wales-13030866 \|title=Jeremy Miles officially joins race to succeed Mark Drakeford as Labour leader in Wales \|work=Sky News \|date=18 December 2023 \|access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref>

	=== Walking away mid-interview ===
	In August 2017 Gething walked away mid-interview on ITV Wales television when questioned by journalist James Crichton-Smith over his decision not to hold a public inquiry into Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board following allegations that an employee had sexually assaulted vulnerable patients.<ref name="interview">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2017-08-24/health-secretary-walks-away-from-questions-over-calls-for-inquiry-into-health-boards-actions\|title=Health Secretary walks away from questions over calls for inquiry into health board's actions\|date=24 August 2017\|website=ITV\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	=== Covid rugby match ===

	On 12 March 2020, as the number of coronavirus cases in Wales reached 25, Gething announced that a Wales versus Scotland rugby match at the Principality Stadium would proceed, and resisted calls to have it postponed. Despite other sporting cancellations the match was due to be a 74,000 sell-out.<ref name="rugby">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-scotland-coronavirus-cardiff-match-17913270\|title=Wales v Scotland Six Nations match ON despite rise in coronavirus cases, Welsh health minister says\|date=12 March 2020\|website=WalesOnline\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	On the following day, 13 March 2020, the Welsh Rugby Union announced that the match was cancelled.<ref>https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-health-minister-who-said-17926936</ref> This was one day before it was due to take place, and after many Scotland fans had already travelled to Cardiff for the match. In a BBC Radio Wales interview, Gething said "The medical advice about the risk to people going to the rugby didn't change. What did change was the fact that the rest of sporting world decided that, regardless of that advice, they wanted to put off events."<ref>https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/one-year-on-untold-story-20057646</ref>

	=== Zoom incident ===
	On 22 April 2020, Gething was caught swearing about fellow Labour MS ] in a ] of the Senedd.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52385006\|title=Coronavirus: Welsh health minister caught swearing about Labour AM\|date=22 April 2020\|publisher=BBC}}</ref> Gething failed to mute his microphone as he told an unknown person "What the fuck is the matter with her?" during the ] meeting. Rathbone had been asking the Minister questions about the Welsh Government's response to the ].

	Following the incident, both the ] leader, ] and ] leader, ] called on ] to dismiss Gething as Minister for Health.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://twitter.com/Plaid_Cymru/status/1253006226151129089?s=20\|title=Plaid Cymru Statement\|date=22 April 2020\|via=Twitter}}</ref>{{Primary source inline\|date=January 2021}}<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://twitter.com/PaulDaviesPembs/status/1252988596329594882\|title=Paul Davies (Leader of the Welsh Conservatives) Statement\|last=Paul\|first=Davies\|date=22 April 2020\|via=Twitter}}</ref>{{Primary source inline\|date=January 2021}} BBC Wales reported that Labour MSs were also "very angry" over Gething's actions.<ref name=":0" />

	=== Gilestone Farm ===

	In May 2022 the Senedd's Public Accounts Committee announced that it would ask the Auditor General for Wales to investigate the £4.25m purchase of Gilestone Farm by the Welsh Government, for use by Green Man Festival. As Welsh Government economy minister Gething said that the purchase was to ensure the festival had a "permanent home" in Wales.<ref name="purchase">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/watchdog-investigate-welsh-governments-purchase-24073222\|title=Watchdog to investigate Welsh Government's purchase of £4.25m farm\|date=26 May 2022\|website=WalesOnline\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	According to a Freedom of Information Request, the farm had been bought without taking industry advice.<ref name="industryadvice">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/20661832.green-man-welsh-government-bought-farm-no-industry-advice\|title=Green Man: Welsh Government bought farm with no industry advice\|date=16 August 2022\|website=South Wales Argus\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	When plans were abandoned due to nesting ospreys being discovered at the site,<ref name="ospreys">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68128437\|title=Green Man: Nesting ospreys ruin ministers' £4.25m festival farm plan\|date=29 January 2024\|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref> Gething denied wasting public money on the farm purchase.<ref name="wastingmoney">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68152939\|title=Gilestone Farm: Minister denies wasting money in osprey farm row\|date=31 January 2024\|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	Gething's fellow Labour MS Mike Hedges said that the farm should be sold, and that Gething and his fellow government ministers should never have bought the farm in the first place. The Auditor General for Wales, Adrian Crompton, said that ministers bought the farm in "avoidable haste", and that officials "did not keep a record of matters discussed" in meetings with the Green Man company.<ref name="hedgescrompton">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-64574928\|title=Green Man farm site should be sold, Labour MS says\|date=9 February 2024 \|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	=== Pandemic preparedness report ===

	Gething was questioned at the UK Covid Inquiry in July 2023, about his former role as Wales' health minister during the Covid pandemic. Gething admitted that he had never read a report on Exercise Cygnus, a simulation exercise to estimate a hypothetical influenza pandemic's impact on the UK. Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, the Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and care, said "It is clear from the evidence heard to date that the pandemic planning in Wales was seriously inadequate, and there was much Welsh Government could and should have done to enable us to be better prepared."<ref name="mabonapgwynfor">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/vaughan-gething-admits-never-read-27255588\|title=Vaughan Gething admits he never read major report into how ready UK was for pandemic before Covid\|date=4 July 2023\|website=Wales Online\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	=== Unite nomination ===

	During the campaigning period for the 2024 Welsh Labour leadership contest, Unite the Union conducted a nomination hustings on 16th January inviting both Gething and the other candidate Jeremy Miles to take part. Miles' team said it was informed of a rule requiring that only people who had been "lay officials" could be nominated. Gething then received the nomination, and Miles was declared ineligible to be nominated.<ref name="ineligible">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-68109598\|title=Welsh Labour leadership: Jeremy Miles criticises Unite rule\|date=27 January 2024\|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	Miles claimed he was unfairly blocked from the union nomination and said in a statement "for the first time that I was ineligible to be nominated by the union due to a new rule that no one was aware of, had not been published and which hadn’t been applied previously. The political committee was then prevented from voting to express a view on the candidates, in light of this new rule. This new rule was not declared when I was invited by Unite to attend and participate in the nomination hustings. Neither was it referred to during the hustings. After the hustings concluded, the leadership of Unite failed to mention it to me. To date, I have not seen any evidence the rule even exists for the purpose claimed. Members will rightly expect that rules to nominate a candidate for the next leader of our party and our government should be transparent and be applied fairly."<ref name="blocked">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-01-26/leadership-contender-claims-he-was-unfairly-blocked-from-union-nomination
	\|title=Welsh Labour leadership contender claims he was unfairly blocked from union nomination\|date=26 January 2024\|website=ITV\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	An unnamed Unite official was quoted by BBC News as saying that the nomination of Gething was a "shocking mess".<ref name="shocking">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68130655
	\|title=Welsh Labour leadership nomination a shocking mess - Unite official\|date=29 January 2024\|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	Later journalist Martin Shipton uncovered that Gething received the nomination within six months of joining Unite the Union. The first reference to Gething being a member of the union was 6th September 2023 in the Register of Members' Interests. This was confirmed as being kept up-to-date by a spokesperson for Gething's campaign.<ref name="joining">{{Cite web\|url=https://nation.cymru/news/vaughan-gething-only-joined-stitch-up-union-months-ago-inboxsearch-for-all-messages-with-label-inbox/\|title=Vaughan Gething only joined 'stitch-up' union months ago\|date=29 January 2024\|website=Nation.cymru\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	== Personal life ==		== Personal life ==

Revision as of 19:25, 17 February 2024

Welsh Labour politician, Member of the Senedd for Cardiff South and Penarth

Vaughan GethingMS
Official portrait, 2021

Minister for the Economy
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 May 2021
First Minister	Mark Drakeford
Preceded by	Ken Skates
Minister for Health and Social Services
In office 19 May 2016 – 13 May 2021
First Minister	Carwyn Jones Mark Drakeford
Preceded by	Mark Drakeford
Succeeded by	Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely
Deputy Minister for Health
In office 11 September 2014 – 19 May 2016
First Minister	Carwyn Jones
Minister	Mark Drakeford
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Rebecca Evans
Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty
In office 26 June 2013 – 11 September 2014
First Minister	Carwyn Jones
Minister	Jeffrey Cuthbert
Member of the Senedd for Cardiff South and Penarth
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2011
Preceded by	Lorraine Barrett
Majority	10,606 (29.2%)

Personal details
Born	(1974-03-15) 15 March 1974 (age 50) Lusaka, Zambia
Nationality	Welsh
Political party	Labour Co-operative
Spouse	Michelle Gething
Alma mater	University of Wales
Occupation	Solicitor, trade unionist
Signature
Website	www.vaughangething.wales

Vaughan Gething (born 15 March 1974) is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician serving as Minister for the Economy since 2021. He previously served as the Minister for Health and Social Services from 2016 to 2021. He has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Cardiff South and Penarth since 2011. In December 2023 he became one of two candidates in the Welsh Labour leadership election to replace Mark Drakeford.

Early life

Gething was born in Zambia in 1974, where his father, a White Welsh vet from Ogmore-by-Sea in Glamorgan, met his mother who is a Black Zambian. Gething describes his father as "a white Welsh economic migrant". When he was two years old, he moved to Monmouthshire, Wales, with his family and has three brothers and a sister. His father eventually found work in Dorset, England, where Gething was brought up.

Gething studied at Beaminster Comprehensive and Sixth Form in Dorset, followed by Aberystwyth University where he read Law and graduated in 1999, and then going onto the University of Cardiff Law School, University of Wales. Gething became President of Aberystwyth University Guild of Students and the first Black president of the National Union of Students Wales.

Professional career

Having completed his training as a solicitor in Cardiff in 2001, with the trade union solicitors Thompsons, Gething chose to specialise in employment law. He became a partner in Thompsons in 2007.

In 2008, at the age of 34, Gething became the youngest President of Wales TUC, also becoming the first mixed race person in the role.

Political career

A video of Gething representing the First Minister in a COVID-19 press conference in January 2021

Gething joined the Labour Party when he was 17, to campaign in the 1992 UK general election. He contested Mid and West Wales in the inaugural elections to the National Assembly for Wales in 1999 for Labour and was not elected.

He was a councillor from 2004 to 2008, representing Butetown electoral ward on Cardiff Council, having been elected with a majority of two votes over candidate Betty Campbell. Following the election, Campbell sent a complaint letter to Cardiff Council alleging that Gething had infringed election rules by handing out leaflets to voters as they entered polling stations and telling them how to vote. Campbell initially intended to have the vote re-examined in the High Court but abandoned this because of the estimated cost of £12,000.

Gething was selected as the Welsh Labour candidate for the Cardiff South and Penarth constituency in the Senedd. Lorraine Barrett, who had represented Cardiff South and Penarth since the Senedd's creation in 1999, had announced her intention to stand down at the 2011 election. At the Senedd election on 5 May 2011, Gething increased the Labour vote with a swing of 12.5%. At 13,814, his share of the vote was over 50%, giving him a majority of 6,259 over the Welsh Conservative Party candidate, Ben Gray, placed second. At the following 2016 Welsh Assembly election, Gething once again increased his majority in terms of vote share.

Following the 2016 election, First Minister Carwyn Jones promoted Gething to the Welsh Cabinet as Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport.

Gething did not support Jeremy Corbyn in either the 2015 or 2016 Labour Party leadership election (against challenger Owen Smith) but stated in a 2017 BBC Radio Wales interview that he would still like to see Corbyn as Prime Minister. "I want a Labour prime minister - and that means Jeremy Corbyn being prime minister." ... "I don't think it matters whether I'm a fan or not - it matters whether I think he can do the job in running the country" Gething said.

Gething, alongside Eluned, Baroness Morgan and Mark Drakeford, was one of the three contenders in the 2018 election for the leadership of Welsh Labour, but was defeated by Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford.

Drakeford subsequently reappointed Gething as Health Minister, with the position renamed as Minister for Health and Social Services. On 13 May 2021, Gething was promoted to Minister for the Economy, replacing Ken Skates.

In December 2023 Gething became one of two candidates in the Welsh Labour leadership election to replace Drakeford as party leader and Wales' First Minister.

Personal life

Gething and his wife Michelle live in Penarth, where he has lived since 2011. He is a member of the trade unions GMB, UNISON and Unite.

External links

References

"Lib Dem Williams named in new cabinet". BBC. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
"Lewis named as education minister". BBC. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
Davies, Daniel (9 November 2018). "Welsh Labour's mystery runners?". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
^ "Wales elections > Cardiff South and Penarth". BBC News. BBC. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
^ Owen, Paul (3 August 2009). "Black Welshman aims to take the fight to the BNP". The Guardian. Manchester: Guardian News and Media. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
^ "Vaughan Gething wants to be Welsh Labour's Sadiq Khan". British GQ. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
"Alumni at the Senedd". Aberystwyth University. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
^ "Vaughan Gething Assembly selection 2011" (PDF). Welsh Labour. 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
"About Vaughan – Vaughan Gething MS | Cardiff South & Penarth". Vaughan Gething MS | Cardiff South & Penarth. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
Crecsi, Elena (15 March 2013). "From student unions to the Senedd and Westminster, how do today's youth become tomorrow's AMs and MPs?". Wales Online. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
^ "Morgan urges Labour to hold firm". BBC News. BBC. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
Gething, Vaughan (28 October 2018). "Vaughan Gething: In Black History Month, I'm proud to be supported by BAME Labour". LabourList. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
"Mid and West Wales". BBC News. BBC News. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
^ "Vaughan Gething-about". Vaughan Gething. 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
"'He broke the rules'". WalesOnline. 24 June 2004. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
"Police confirm probe over dirty tricks claim". WalesOnline. 14 October 2004. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
Blake, Aled (6 May 2011). "Assembly election: Meet the incoming AMs". WalesOnline website. Media Wales Ltd. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
"Welsh Government | Vaughan Gething AM". gov.wales. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
"General election: 'Doesn't matter if I'm a Corbyn fan'". BBC News. 19 May 2017.
"Owen Smith to challenge Corbyn for Labour leadership". The Guardian. 13 July 2016.
"Jeremy Miles officially joins race to succeed Mark Drakeford as Labour leader in Wales". Sky News. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
"Vaughan Gething AM: Minister for Health and Social Services". GOV.WALES. Retrieved 6 November 2019.

Senedd
Preceded byLorraine Barrett	Member of the Senedd for Cardiff South and Penarth 2011–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded byGwenda Thomas	Deputy Minister for Health 2014–2016	Succeeded byRebecca Evans
Preceded byMark Drakeford	Minister for Health and Social Services 2016–2021
Preceded byEluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely
Trade union offices
Preceded byRuth Jones	President of the Wales TUC 2008–2009	Succeeded byPaul O'Shea

v t e Welsh Cabinet
Eluned Morgan (2024–)
First Minister	Eluned Morgan
Deputy	Huw Irranca-Davies
Cabinet Secretaries	Huw Irranca-Davies (Climate Change • Rural Affairs) Jayne Bryant (Housing • Local Government) Mark Drakeford (Finance • Welsh Language) Rebecca Evans (Economy, Energy, Planning) Jane Hutt (Social Justice • Trefnydd (House Leader) • Chief Whip) Jeremy Miles (Health and Social Care) Lynne Neagle (Education) Ken Skates (Transport • North Wales)
Ministers	Dawn Bowden (Children and Social Care) Vikki Howells (Further and Higher Education) Julie James (Counsel General • Delivery) Sarah Murphy (Mental Health and Wellbeing) Jack Sargeant (Culture, Skills and Social Partnership)

Current members of the Senedd

6th Senedd

Labour (30)

Constituency	Mick Antoniw Hannah Blythyn Dawn Bowden Jayne Bryant Hefin David Alun Davies Mark Drakeford Rebecca Evans Vaughan Gething John Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Mike Hedges Vikki Howells Jane Hutt Huw Irranca-Davies Julie James Jeremy Miles Julie Morgan Sarah Murphy Lynne Neagle Rhianon Passmore Jenny Rathbone David Rees Jack Sargeant Ken Skates Lee Waters Buffy Williams
Regional	Eluned Morgan (leader) Carolyn Thomas Joyce Watson

Conservatives (16)

Constituency	Paul Davies Gareth Davies James Evans Janet Finch-Saunders Peter Fox Russell George Samuel Kurtz Darren Millar (leader)
Regional	Natasha Asghar Andrew RT Davies Tom Giffard Altaf Hussain Mark Isherwood Laura Anne Jones Joel James Sam Rowlands

Plaid Cymru (12)

Constituency	Mabon ap Gwynfor Siân Gwenllian Rhun ap Iorwerth (leader) Elin Jones Adam Price
Regional	Cefin Campbell Luke Fletcher Heledd Fychan Llŷr Huws Gruffydd Peredur Owen Griffiths Delyth Jewell Sioned Williams

Liberal Democrats (1)

Constituency	None
Regional	Jane Dodds (leader)

Independent (1)

Constituency	None
Regional	Rhys ab Owen

Llywydd (presiding officer): Elin Jones

Categories:

Revision as of 08:39, 16 February 2024 editOllie231213 (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users9,765 editsm →Early life ← Previous edit		Revision as of 19:25, 17 February 2024 edit undo86.28.195.223 (talk) Removing blatant attacks from political opponents. Minor incidents written up in bias language. Let’s keep these pages informative and unbiased please.Tags: Reverted section blanking Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web editNext edit →
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	In December 2023 Gething became one of two candidates in the ] to replace Drakeford as party leader and Wales' First Minister.<ref>{{cite news\|url=https://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-miles-joins-race-to-succeed-mark-drakeford-as-labour-leader-in-wales-13030866 \|title=Jeremy Miles officially joins race to succeed Mark Drakeford as Labour leader in Wales \|work=Sky News \|date=18 December 2023 \|access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref>		In December 2023 Gething became one of two candidates in the ] to replace Drakeford as party leader and Wales' First Minister.<ref>{{cite news\|url=https://news.sky.com/story/jeremy-miles-joins-race-to-succeed-mark-drakeford-as-labour-leader-in-wales-13030866 \|title=Jeremy Miles officially joins race to succeed Mark Drakeford as Labour leader in Wales \|work=Sky News \|date=18 December 2023 \|access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref>

	=== Walking away mid-interview ===
	In August 2017 Gething walked away mid-interview on ITV Wales television when questioned by journalist James Crichton-Smith over his decision not to hold a public inquiry into Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board following allegations that an employee had sexually assaulted vulnerable patients.<ref name="interview">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2017-08-24/health-secretary-walks-away-from-questions-over-calls-for-inquiry-into-health-boards-actions\|title=Health Secretary walks away from questions over calls for inquiry into health board's actions\|date=24 August 2017\|website=ITV\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	=== Covid rugby match ===

	On 12 March 2020, as the number of coronavirus cases in Wales reached 25, Gething announced that a Wales versus Scotland rugby match at the Principality Stadium would proceed, and resisted calls to have it postponed. Despite other sporting cancellations the match was due to be a 74,000 sell-out.<ref name="rugby">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-scotland-coronavirus-cardiff-match-17913270\|title=Wales v Scotland Six Nations match ON despite rise in coronavirus cases, Welsh health minister says\|date=12 March 2020\|website=WalesOnline\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	On the following day, 13 March 2020, the Welsh Rugby Union announced that the match was cancelled.<ref>https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-health-minister-who-said-17926936</ref> This was one day before it was due to take place, and after many Scotland fans had already travelled to Cardiff for the match. In a BBC Radio Wales interview, Gething said "The medical advice about the risk to people going to the rugby didn't change. What did change was the fact that the rest of sporting world decided that, regardless of that advice, they wanted to put off events."<ref>https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/one-year-on-untold-story-20057646</ref>

	=== Zoom incident ===
	On 22 April 2020, Gething was caught swearing about fellow Labour MS ] in a ] of the Senedd.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-52385006\|title=Coronavirus: Welsh health minister caught swearing about Labour AM\|date=22 April 2020\|publisher=BBC}}</ref> Gething failed to mute his microphone as he told an unknown person "What the fuck is the matter with her?" during the ] meeting. Rathbone had been asking the Minister questions about the Welsh Government's response to the ].

	Following the incident, both the ] leader, ] and ] leader, ] called on ] to dismiss Gething as Minister for Health.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://twitter.com/Plaid_Cymru/status/1253006226151129089?s=20\|title=Plaid Cymru Statement\|date=22 April 2020\|via=Twitter}}</ref>{{Primary source inline\|date=January 2021}}<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://twitter.com/PaulDaviesPembs/status/1252988596329594882\|title=Paul Davies (Leader of the Welsh Conservatives) Statement\|last=Paul\|first=Davies\|date=22 April 2020\|via=Twitter}}</ref>{{Primary source inline\|date=January 2021}} BBC Wales reported that Labour MSs were also "very angry" over Gething's actions.<ref name=":0" />

	=== Gilestone Farm ===

	In May 2022 the Senedd's Public Accounts Committee announced that it would ask the Auditor General for Wales to investigate the £4.25m purchase of Gilestone Farm by the Welsh Government, for use by Green Man Festival. As Welsh Government economy minister Gething said that the purchase was to ensure the festival had a "permanent home" in Wales.<ref name="purchase">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/watchdog-investigate-welsh-governments-purchase-24073222\|title=Watchdog to investigate Welsh Government's purchase of £4.25m farm\|date=26 May 2022\|website=WalesOnline\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	According to a Freedom of Information Request, the farm had been bought without taking industry advice.<ref name="industryadvice">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/20661832.green-man-welsh-government-bought-farm-no-industry-advice\|title=Green Man: Welsh Government bought farm with no industry advice\|date=16 August 2022\|website=South Wales Argus\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	When plans were abandoned due to nesting ospreys being discovered at the site,<ref name="ospreys">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68128437\|title=Green Man: Nesting ospreys ruin ministers' £4.25m festival farm plan\|date=29 January 2024\|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref> Gething denied wasting public money on the farm purchase.<ref name="wastingmoney">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68152939\|title=Gilestone Farm: Minister denies wasting money in osprey farm row\|date=31 January 2024\|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	Gething's fellow Labour MS Mike Hedges said that the farm should be sold, and that Gething and his fellow government ministers should never have bought the farm in the first place. The Auditor General for Wales, Adrian Crompton, said that ministers bought the farm in "avoidable haste", and that officials "did not keep a record of matters discussed" in meetings with the Green Man company.<ref name="hedgescrompton">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-64574928\|title=Green Man farm site should be sold, Labour MS says\|date=9 February 2024 \|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	=== Pandemic preparedness report ===

	Gething was questioned at the UK Covid Inquiry in July 2023, about his former role as Wales' health minister during the Covid pandemic. Gething admitted that he had never read a report on Exercise Cygnus, a simulation exercise to estimate a hypothetical influenza pandemic's impact on the UK. Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, the Plaid Cymru spokesperson for health and care, said "It is clear from the evidence heard to date that the pandemic planning in Wales was seriously inadequate, and there was much Welsh Government could and should have done to enable us to be better prepared."<ref name="mabonapgwynfor">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/vaughan-gething-admits-never-read-27255588\|title=Vaughan Gething admits he never read major report into how ready UK was for pandemic before Covid\|date=4 July 2023\|website=Wales Online\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	=== Unite nomination ===

	During the campaigning period for the 2024 Welsh Labour leadership contest, Unite the Union conducted a nomination hustings on 16th January inviting both Gething and the other candidate Jeremy Miles to take part. Miles' team said it was informed of a rule requiring that only people who had been "lay officials" could be nominated. Gething then received the nomination, and Miles was declared ineligible to be nominated.<ref name="ineligible">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-68109598\|title=Welsh Labour leadership: Jeremy Miles criticises Unite rule\|date=27 January 2024\|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	Miles claimed he was unfairly blocked from the union nomination and said in a statement "for the first time that I was ineligible to be nominated by the union due to a new rule that no one was aware of, had not been published and which hadn’t been applied previously. The political committee was then prevented from voting to express a view on the candidates, in light of this new rule. This new rule was not declared when I was invited by Unite to attend and participate in the nomination hustings. Neither was it referred to during the hustings. After the hustings concluded, the leadership of Unite failed to mention it to me. To date, I have not seen any evidence the rule even exists for the purpose claimed. Members will rightly expect that rules to nominate a candidate for the next leader of our party and our government should be transparent and be applied fairly."<ref name="blocked">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-01-26/leadership-contender-claims-he-was-unfairly-blocked-from-union-nomination
	\|title=Welsh Labour leadership contender claims he was unfairly blocked from union nomination\|date=26 January 2024\|website=ITV\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	An unnamed Unite official was quoted by BBC News as saying that the nomination of Gething was a "shocking mess".<ref name="shocking">{{Cite web\|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-68130655
	\|title=Welsh Labour leadership nomination a shocking mess - Unite official\|date=29 January 2024\|website=BBC News\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	Later journalist Martin Shipton uncovered that Gething received the nomination within six months of joining Unite the Union. The first reference to Gething being a member of the union was 6th September 2023 in the Register of Members' Interests. This was confirmed as being kept up-to-date by a spokesperson for Gething's campaign.<ref name="joining">{{Cite web\|url=https://nation.cymru/news/vaughan-gething-only-joined-stitch-up-union-months-ago-inboxsearch-for-all-messages-with-label-inbox/\|title=Vaughan Gething only joined 'stitch-up' union months ago\|date=29 January 2024\|website=Nation.cymru\|access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

	== Personal life ==		== Personal life ==