Is it too much of a stretch to draw a comparison between Donald Trump and Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething? Perhaps so, but both have lost votes and both are unwilling to accept the results.
Of course, the former US President inspired his supporters to revolt in Washington on 6 January 2021 to storm the Capitol building in rejecting the results of the 2020 federal election. Gething? There’s little chance his dwindling supporters will be storming the Senedd building in Cardiff demanding that he stay.
After losing a vote of no confidence on Wednesday last, the First Minister is steadfastly refusing to fall on his sword – as would be the decent thing to do by any self-respecting public representative on the wrong side of a damning legislative indictment.
So, Trump and Gething both share pride and self-interest over what’s in the greater public good.
We are but 12 weeks in Gething’s reign and all the signs – and actions – are that he will do anything to remain in office.
Like Trump, there is an odour of underhandedness at play when it comes to the morality of Gething’s campaign to win the leadership of the Labour party, overshadowed by accepting £200,000 in donations from a company whose owner, David Neal, was convicted of dumping waste on the Gwent Levels.
Why is it that the term ‘fake news’ springs to mind when it comes to mind when it comes to the manner in which the First Minister handled iMessages to his Labour colleagues – they were deleted – and the blame for the leaks was placed by Gethin on Hannah Blythyn.
What is particularly Trumpesque is the manner by which Labour colleagues suggested that criticism of the actions of the First Minister in the matter was being driven by racism when it is clearly not the case.
Overall, Gething is guilty of arrogance, pride and being out of touch with the reality of the political pulse – all combined to taint his office and undermine his leadership and decision-making abilities. We do not need a First Minster with these deep Shakespearean flaws. Go!