Atlantic Recycling which donated more than £200,000 to Vaughan Gething’s leadership campaign is set to go to court after being charged with environmental offences.
The company– which is connected to Dauson Environmental Group and controlled by David Neal donated £200,000 to Gething’s leadership campaign.
David Neal was given a suspended prison sentence in 2013 for illegally dumping waste and prosecuted again in 2017 for not removing it.
Vaughan Gething who is the Senedd Member for Cardiff South and Penarth wrote to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in 2016 to ease restrictions on Atlantic Recycling.
Vaughan Gething’s benefactor who donated £200,000 to his campaign faces court
PA
A four-day trial of the facts, known as a Newton hearing, has been set for December 16th at Cardiff Crown Court.
Declarations on the Electoral Commission website show the First Minister’s campaign raised at least £254,600. In comparison, his rival Jeremy Miles raised at least £58,800.
Earlier this week the Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer came under fire over the six-figure sum.
Starmer said “it makes sense” for Welsh Labour to review its rules over campaign funding.
POLITICS LATEST:
Vaughan Gething confirms Cabinet team on first day as leaderPASpeaking to the BBC earlier this week the Labour leader said “The First Minister has explained his actions, he has not broken any rules and that's the end of the matter.”
The Prime Minister has also come under pressure this week over comments made by a top Tory donor.
Last year Frank Hester donated more than £10million to the Tory party, but this week it was revealed that in 2019 he said that looking at Dianne Abbott made him “want to hate all Black women”, and that she “should be shot”.
Speaking to GB News, Jo Stevens the Shadow Wales Secretary says there is a false equivalence with the Frank Hester’s donations and the review into leadership rules will begin “quickly”.
West Yorkshire Police is investigating the alleged comments made by Frank Hester about Diane Abbott PA/Getty/Google Maps“Vaughan’s donations were within the rules under the Welsh Labour Leadership election rules.
“He has declared them, and they are in line with what’s required in the Senedd and the electoral commission.
“He has already announced that for future leadership elections, there's going to be a review about the rules – including rules about caps on donations.”
