Starmer has always stood by Vaughan Gething. He famously said:

“In Wales a Welsh Labour government is the living proof of what Labour looks like in power, how things can be done differently and better. Every day you demonstrate the difference that Labour makes a blueprint for what Labour can do across the United Kingdom.”

Over 118 days of being Starmer’s man in Cardiff, Gething managed to get a lot done. He:

• Took a dodgy donation to his campaign. Off to a terrible start…
• Went on holiday without spending a full day in the office or holding a cabinet meeting.
• Misled the Covid Inquiry.
• Fired a minister whom he accused of leaking Covid-era messages. That decision also dogged the entire rest of his stint…
• Started crying before losing a confidence vote.
• Issued defiant response to ministerial resignations, before resigning 20 minutes later.

Here’s to the next “living proof of Labour in government” as Wales prepares for a leadership election…