大象传媒

Gething to give Labour 拢31,000 from his campaign

Vaughan GethingImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Vaughan Gething's donations dominated his campaign

  • Published

More than 拢31,600 will go from Vaughan Gething's leadership campaign to the Labour Party, a source from his campaign has told 大象传媒 Wales.

Vaughan Gething was given 拢251,600 in cash during his successful bid to become first minister - including 拢200,000 from a firm owned by a man previously convicted of environmental offences.

Senior Labour figures, including a member of Mr Gething's cabinet Mick Antoniw, have warned the party against taking any of the cash from Dauson Environmental Group.

The Conservatives said the donations had now become an issue for the entire Labour Party, while Plaid Cymru called for all Dauson money to be returned.

The figures mean that Mr Gething spent around 拢219,000 in cash.

Earlier his former rival Jeremy Miles said he had nothing left over from the 拢61,000 he had raised.

Under the campaign's rules, any leftover donations have to go to the Labour Party.

The campaign source said it will be up to Welsh Labour to decide how the money is spent, but Vaughan Gething wants the money to go on diversity programmes.

The Electoral Commission has previously told 大象传媒 Wales that donations handed over to Labour would count as going to the central Labour party, rather than Welsh Labour.

Speaking to James Williams on 大象传媒 Radio Wales Breakfast, Mr Miles confirmed he had filed his accounts, and that the deadline was Thursday.

"There's nothing left in my account," he said.

Electoral Commission records show that Mr Gething was given two separate 拢100,000 donations from Dauson Environmental Group in December and January.

He was also given 拢25,000 from taxi firm Veezu, 拢21,600 from Jeanne Marie Davies and 拢5,000 by Christopher Lyon.

A source in Vaughan Gething's campaign said: "Following the deadline of the election returns we can confirm that there is a remainder of 拢31,636.

"The party and the campaign teams will now make the necessary arrangements for the transfer of money."

'Show moral leadership'

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies said donations had now become a "question for the whole Labour Party".

鈥淟abour campaigning may now be funded by cash from somebody convicted of environmental offences," he said.

鈥淣ow we will learn if Labour have the courage of their convictions.鈥

Plaid Cymru South Wales Central Senedd member Heledd Fychan said the "sorry episode" over donations had "marred the first minister鈥檚 first few months in office at a time when Wales鈥檚 schools and hospitals are facing huge challenges and need a leader focused on the job".

"Unless Vaughan Gething does the right thing today and commits to returning the [Dauson] donation in full, serious and justified questions about his judgement won鈥檛 go away any time soon," she said.

"The UK Labour Party must also show some moral leadership and return the money."