Labour's John Healey backs Vaughan Gething despite no confidence vote

Labour's John Healey backs Vaughan Gething despite no confidence vote
Georgia Pearce

By Georgia Pearce


Published: 06/06/2024

- 12:13

The embattled First Minister of Wales has been backed by Labour’s John Healey despite him losing a vote of no confidence in the Senedd.

The Shadow Defence Secretary told GB News: “I have to say it was led by the Tories aided and abetted by Plaid [Cymru].

“Vaughan Gething is making it clear he's getting on with the job of leading the Welsh Government and helping Labour win the election in Wales as part of a new UK government at a moment when the whole of the UK can choose for change.”

He continued: “It’s not binding, particularly it’s mid-election. There are some really serious frustrations in Wales, that instead of talking about the cost of living pressures that people face, the highest tax burden for 70 years that they also face, and the plans for the future.

"Wales is consumed by this stunt to try and put pressure on Vaughan Gething.

“He's getting on with the job, we should allow [him] to get on with the election campaign.”

Healey added: “There are questions, Vaughan Gething has answered those. I’ve got little to add to this.

“It's clearly a mid-election stunt. Let's get on with the bigger arguments that are going to matter much more to the people of Wales and across the UK and potentially make a difference to their lives after 14 years of failure across the board from the Conservatives.

“It's time for change and the power for change is in people's votes.”

On defence, he said: “To raise defence spending to 2.5% [of GDP] has been underlined and made by Keir Starmer, not just by me. This will be in the Labour manifesto.

“It will be the ambition, a plan for a Labour government. But in the end, it's also not just about how much you spend but how well you spend it.

“We've seen the Conservatives waste at least £15 billion over the last 14 years in bad procurement and so this is a government I’m afraid that has let down British taxpayers and now British troops.”

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