Labour's Vaughan Gething has defiantly said he will stay on as Welsh First Minister despite losing ano-confidence vote in the Senedd.
The Welsh Labour leader lost the vote on his leadership last night - with 29 votes against him to 27 for - after two of his party colleagues were 'unwell'.
But, despite the shattering loss, Mr Gething blasted the vote as a 'transparent gimmick' and pledged to carry on as First Minister.
Allies of Mr Gething suggested his ethinicity had influenced critics, as they pointed to his position as the 'first black leader of any nation in Europe'.
Meanwhile, a Labour frontbencher at Westminster said party leader Sir Keir Starmer 'absolutely' has confidence in Mr Gething, despite him losing yesterday's vote.
Labour's Vaughan Gething has defiantly said he will stay on as Welsh First Minister despite losing a no-confidence vote in the Senedd
During yesterday's Senedd debate on the confidence motion, tabled by the Welsh Conservatives, Mr Gething was seen getting visibly upset
The Welsh Labour leader lost the vote on his leadership last night - with 29 votes against him to 27 for - after two of his party colleagues were 'unwell'
Mr Gething faced the no-confidence motion after just 81 days in office following the collapse of a co-operation deal between Labourand Plaid Cymru.
He has also been involved in a series of rows since he replaced Mark Drakeford as Welsh Labour leader in mid-March.
This includes controversy over £200,000 in donations from a man convicted of environmental crimes, as well as claims Mr Gething may have deleted messages that could be of interest to the Covid Inquiry.
During yesterday's Senedd debate on the confidence motion, tabled by the Welsh Conservatives, Mr Gething was seen getting visibly upset.
He was comforted by Senedd members from his own party and also seen dabbing at his eyes.
Speaking after the result, Mr Gething said he would ignore calls from opposition parties for him to resign.
He told broadcasters:'I'm here, proud to be the First Minister of Wales to serve and lead my country. That's what I've done today, it's what I'll carry on doing.'
Mr Gething admitted it had been a 'very disappointing afternoon', but branded the motion a 'transparent gimmick' that was impacted by two members of his party being unwell.
Without the absence of Hannah Blythyn, who Mr Gething recently sacked from his government, and Lee Waters, the no-confidence motion was unlikely to have passed.
The motion was non-binding and will not force Mr Gething to stand aside from his role as First Minister but the result is hugely embarrassing for him.
Mr Gething blasted 'months and months of innuendo' directed against him that was 'damaging and hurtful'.
He said: 'Where is the evidence I have ever done anything in a way that I should not have as a minister?
'I can tell you there is no evidence of that because it has not happened.
'Today was an exercise in muck-throwing – the range of different things that were said that members know are simply not true is really quite disgraceful.'
The First Minister travelled to Normandy last night to take part in a D-Day commemoration event.
ALabour frontbencher at Westminster said party leader Sir Keir Starmer 'absolutely' has confidence in Mr Gething, despite him losing yesterday's vote
During yesterday's debate on the no-confidence motion, one of Mr Gething's Labour colleagues questioned whether the First Minister's ethnicity had influenced his critics.
The Member of Senedd for Caerphilly, Hefin David, said: 'I, as an observer, have the right to ask if his ethnicity has an influence on the motives of some of those outside of this Chamber who seek to break him on the wheel.
'We cannot ignore that question, and we cannot dismiss the lived experience of BAME people who feel it to be the case.'
He suggested the no-confidence motion in Mr Gething 'may not be the final act' and a vote of confidence in the entire Welsh Government 'led by the first black leader of any nation in Europe' might follow.
'And if that government falls, then so might this Parliament,' Mr David added. 'We may be heading towards an early Senedd election, all hope of reform lost, and for what? To bring down a leader to whom we never gave a chance.'
Speaking to BBC Wales Live, Labour shadow minister Stephen Kinnock - who is the party's general election candidate for Aberafan Maesteg, insisted Sir Keir retained confidence in Mr Gething.
Mr Kinnocksaid Mr Gething had 'done nothing wrong' and 'absolutely must carry on' as Labour's leader in Wales.
Asked if Sir Keir had full confidence in the First Minister, Mr Kinnock said: 'Absolutely he does.'
'Vaughan is a man of honour and integrity and what we've seen today is just a cheap political stunt by the opposition, led by the Conservatives, aided and abetted by Plaid Cymru.'
Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said Mr Gething had 'lost the confidence of the people of Wales'.
He said: 'He has lost the confidence of the Senedd. The only person who is still batting for Vaughan Gething is Keir Starmer.'
Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: 'Labour First Minister Vaughan Gething has lost the vote of no confidence.
'His position is now untenable and he must resign immediately.'
