- author, mark palmer
- role, BBC News
Prime Minister Vaughan Gething told Labor colleagues that political attacks against him were “based on racism”.
A source told BBC Wales that Mr Gething was not initiating the discussion about racism, but was responding to questions from the group.
Labor MPs in the Welsh Assembly held an emergency virtual meeting following Plaid Cymru’s decision to end its cooperation agreement with the Welsh Government.
The cooperation agreement saw Plaid help the Labor government, which holds just half of the Senedd’s 60 seats, pass a key vote.
Plaid leader Lun ap Iorworth said the party took the decision because it was “deeply concerned” about the £200,000 donation.
Mr Gething convened a Senedd (MS) Labor Party meeting to discuss the Plaid move at the end of a tumultuous week that also saw Minister Hannah Brythin sacked from the government.
He accused Brycin of leaking information to the media, but Brycin denied being the source of the leak.
A Labor Party official said of the meeting: “Vaughan Gething and his supporters insisted that the attacks against him were racially motivated and that he was being held to a higher standard than others.” he said.
“His supporters remain loyal, but the group remains divided,” the source added.
Another person said Gething made the remarks while responding to a question from the group about whether the attack was racist.
The second source added: “As a black leader, he has more to prove than if he were a white leader.
“If Vaughn Gething had done that, he would have been seen as an angry black man.”
Mr Gething’s cabinet minister Mick Antoniou said after the meeting that Labor was united behind the first minister.
He said there was “complete unity”, adding: “I am confident that everyone will support the first minister in the no-confidence vote.”
“It has nothing to do with race.”
A Welsh Conservative Party spokesperson said the criticism of the first minister had “nothing to do with race, colour, creed, gender or sexuality”.
“This has everything to do with the first minister’s failure to answer fundamental questions on fundamental issues,” the spokesperson added.
