BBC Wales Investigates says it has discovered a company that bankrolled Vaughan Gething’s successful bid to become Wales’ First Minister was linked to a criminal investigation at the time.

Mr Gething’s leadership campaign accepted £200,000 from a firm controlled by millionaire businessman David Neal.

A criminal investigation into suspected environmental offences by one of Mr Neal’s firms, Resources Management Limited (RML), is being carried out by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Welsh Government ministers were briefed about the investigation before Mr Gething – the UK’s only current ruling Labour leader – became First Minister.

Mr Gething, who narrowly won the Welsh Labour leader contest earlier this year, previously said he had done nothing wrong and has not broken the ministerial code.

Responding the reports, Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “Vaughan Gething’s donations just don’t pass the smell test.

“So desperate was he to be First Minister, he accepted this dirty money despite the misery these firms have caused, and so desperate is Keir Starmer to be Prime Minister, he is prepared to stand with Vaughan Gething on this issue.

“It’s time to restore integrity to the office of First Minister.”

The continuing row in Wales is an unwelcome distraction to Sir Keir Starmer during the general election campaign – although the Labour leader has publicly backed Mr Gething. RML runs the Withyhedge landfill site near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, which people have complained since October 2023 is a “stink bomb on steroids”.

Colin Barnett started the Stop the Stink campaign to force RML to fix odour issues at the Withyhedge site. It now has more than 2,000 members.

He said: “They’re probably very surprised they’ve had such fierce resistance from a rural area that they thought was quite small, but the problem is, they’ve affected so many of those villages.”
NRW says it has identified the smell as hydrogen sulphide.

Huwel Manley, Natural Resources Wales, said the regulator was working with the local authority, local health board and Public Health Wales to fix the issues.

“We identified issues of concern late last year. The company is under investigation at the moment”.

In a statement Mr Neal said he would: “continue to fully cooperate with any pending investigations by Natural Resources Wales, and it is working to stop the smells.” And added:

“We have never requested or expected anything in return.

Health Secretary Eluned Morgan and then-Climate Change Minister Julie James both had meetings with the regulator about problems at Withyhedge in February.

Some Labour members have also questioned the judgement of the first minister, with the BBC learning that one senior figure within Welsh Labour offered to loan Mr Gething the money to allow him to pay back the donation – which was turned down.

But other senior party figures have also publicly backed the First Minister, including party leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens.

Speaking on the election campaign trail, she said: “Vaughan didn’t break any rules in that leadership campaign and we are just looking forward to getting on with the general election.

There’s positive reaction for him on the doorsteps.”

A spokesman for Welsh Labour said the issues had “previously been addressed by Vaughan Gething and are a matter of public record”.

Politicians in the Senedd will vote on Wednesday on whether they have confidence in Mr Gething’s leadership.

If he were to lose the vote, he would not be forced to resign, but it would put him in a difficult position.

It was proposed by the Welsh Conservatives leader in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, who said the debate will give people the chance to have their say on Mr Gething’s “judgement, transparency and truthfulness”.

BBC Wales Investigates: A Big Stink is available now on iPlayer and BBC One Wales at 20:00 BST on Monday 3 June