The Conservative leader in the Welsh Parliament, Andrew RT Davies, has resigned despite narrowly surviving a vote of confidence of his party colleagues. He won a vote of Tory Senedd members on Tuesday morning, with nine in support – including Davies’ own vote – and seven against. He said his position was “untenable” with the group of 16 almost split halfway.
Davies had been leader of the Tories in the Senedd for most of the past 13 years and had first held the job in 2011. He had opposed four Welsh Labour first ministers, but Davies never came close to dislodging Labour’s dominance of Welsh devolved politics. His leadership saw him take the party in a more right-leaning direction.
Davies had accused party colleagues in the Senedd of undermining him in a letter to his Welsh Tory chair Bernard Gentry. He said he would not stand in the forthcoming leadership contest.
The eight other Conservative MSs who supported him continuing were: Gareth Davies, Paul Davies, Russell George, Mark Isherwood, Joel James, Laura Anne Jones, Darren Millar and Janet Finch Saunders.
Opposed to him were: Natasha Asghar, James Evans, Peter Fox, Tom Giffard, Altaf Hussein, Sam Kurtz, and Sam Rowlands.
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