Live updates as Vaughan Gething expected to lose Senedd no-confidence vote

Vaughan Gething will today face a no-confidence vote in the Senedd and, as it stands, it appears the First Minister will lose the vote.

Today's vote has been put forward by the Conservatives. All Plaid and Conservative members, as well as the Lib Dem Jane Dodds and independent MS Rhys ab Owen, plan to back that motion. Because Labour has exactly half of the seats in the Senedd – 30 out of the total 60 – it means to defeat it all Labour members would have to be present.

Vikki Howells is chair of the Welsh Labour group in the Senedd and told Radio Wales that Labour will not have enough members in the chamber to back the party leader for the vote, which is expected around 5pm this afternoon. She herself said she had "absolutely" had confidence in Vaughan Gething and "all the Senedd group do as well". "As far as I'm concerned this vote that will be being held this afternoon is just a gimmick from the Tories," she said.

However she said two members – whom we understand to be Llanelli MS Lee Waters and Delyn MS Hannah Blythyn – are absent due to personal reasons. Parties can use what's called a "pairing" system to, in certain situations, effectively cancel each other out so if a Labour member is missing then a Conservative member would not vote so the status quo is maintained. Both the Tories and Plaid Cymru say they will not pair with Labour today with Andrew RT Davies saying he does not think that would be appropriate on an issue as important as a no-confidence vote in the First Minister.

READ MORE: Vaughan Gething tried to stop evidence of his lobbying for donor being made public

READ MORE: Mark Drakeford has just delivered a 'full throated' attack at Vaughan Gething's Welsh Government

Ms Howells suggested on the radio that