Gething 'to get peerage after Senedd election'

Martin Shipton

Keir Starmer still intends to nominate Vaughan Gething for a peerage - but no announcement will be made before the Senedd election to avoid further damage to Labour’s chances, we have been told.

In December 2025 The Times reported how the former First Minister was being lined up for a seat in the House of Lords.

At the time he was one of a number of Labour loyalists expected to be drafted in to the Lords to help stave off defeats in a chamber where the party does not have a majority.

Gething was forced out of office in July 2024 following scandals including receiving donations totalling £200,000 to his Welsh Labour leadership campaign from a company owned by businessman David Neal, who received two suspended prison sentences for dumping toxic sludge in the precious wetlands landscape of the Gwent Levels.

Nation.Cymru also revealed how Gething had lied on oath to the UK Covid Inquiry, failing to reveal that he had deleted text messages exchanged with ministerial colleagues during the pandemic when he was Health Minister.

The revelation in The Times was greeted with outrage within Welsh Labour, which by the end of 2025 was already facing defeat in the Senedd election.

One Welsh Labour source told Nation.Cymru at the time: “That will go down like a lead balloon on the doorstep.”

Another said: “It was really frustrating and disappointing to read about this. Surely Keir Starmer can shore up his numbers in the House of Lords in a way that doesn’t undermine Welsh Labour’s election chances. Eluned Morgan as First Minister is doing a great job putting Vaughan’s failures behind us and driving a really positive agenda: this decision just serves to undermine her work. Like the majority of Welsh Labour members I’d urge Keir Starmer not to do this. He should remember we cannot deliver for anyone if we go against the electorate, who do not like Vaughan Gething and his donations.”

'Pragmatic'

A Labour source has now told us that a “pragmatic” decision was taken to postpone Gething’s elevation to the Lords until some time after the May 7 election in order to avoid a backlash.

Last December’s story in The Times stated: “Sir Keir Starmer will appoint two dozen Labour peers as ‘infantry’ to help push through controversial legislation in the new year after a string of defeats in the House of Lords.

“The Prime Minister is poised to ennoble former politicians, party aides and union figures before crucial local elections in May.

“Among those set to be elevated is Matthew Doyle, who was Starmer’s director of communications in opposition but lasted only nine months in the role in No 10.

“Another is Vaughan Gething, who as first minister of Wales became the first black leader of a European country. He was forced from office after only four months in July last year, as four senior members of his government resigned over a controversial £200,000 leadership donation. Gething denied wrongdoing.

“Further conversations have been held in No 10 about handing peerages to Katie Martin, a business adviser to Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, and Carol Linforth, who ran Labour events and operations for more than 20 years before stepping down last month.

“Others in contention are Paddy Lillis, a former general secretary of the Usdaw shop workers’ union, and John-Paul McHugh, former general secretary of Scottish Labour and assistant general secretary of the Community union.

“Some will be included on the forthcoming list, which could be published as soon as next week, while others may be held back for future rounds of peerages.

“There are expected to be about 24 nominations by Starmer, with other parties’ and groups’ allocations taking the total to about 33.”

In the event, Doyle, Martin and Linforth were among the 25 new Labour peers while Gething, Lillis and McHugh were left off the list. In addition there were three new Tory peers, five Liberal Democrats and one crossbencher.

Private company

Last month Nation.Cymru revealed how Gething had set up a private company called CG Choma Ltd with a registered office in Cathedral Road, Cardiff. He is not standing for re-election to the Senedd and there is speculation that he intends to act as a business consultant.

We contacted the First Minister's official spokesperson and stated: "Political sources are telling us that Vaughan Gething is to go to the House of Lords, but that no announcement will be made until after the Senedd election.

"Is the Welsh Government aware of this, has it been consulted and what view does the First Minister have on whether Mr Gething should receive a peerage or not?"

The spokesperson responded: "This is not something the Welsh Government would comment on."