Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has resigned.

Andrew RT Davies, the Conservative leader in the Welsh Parliament, has resigned despite receiving a vote of confidence from his party colleagues.

It followed months of pressure on the party’s leadership in Wales, and a meeting last week where Davis said some of his Members of the Senate (MSs) had threatened to resign.

It won a vote of Tory Seanad members on Tuesday morning, with nine in favor – including Davies’ own vote – and seven against.

With the Group of 16 split almost halfway, Davies said his position was “unassailable”.

The MS for South Wales Central had been the Tories’ leader in Sand for most of the past 13 years – first becoming party leader in 2011.

He last resigned from the role in 2018, stepping in after his successor Paul Davies resigned over an alcohol scandal in the Senedd during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a letter to his Welsh Tory chair Bernard Gentry, Davis accused party colleagues in the Seanad of undermining him.

He said that he will not stand in the future leadership contest.

It is the first major resignation of a senior Conservative since Cammy Bedinock became party leader.

In recent months Davis has faced criticism from some Westminster Conservatives about the party’s direction.

Davis’s supporters say he was trying to counter the threat of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, moving the party in a more right-leaning direction, while opponents worry the party will broaden its support. Not trying.

His leadership saw the first Welsh Labor ministers, but Davis never came close to ending Labour’s dominance of Welsh devolution politics.

But under his leadership, the party returned a record number of seats in the last elections in 2021.

South Wales Central KMS has sparked controversy with its social media account – comments about halal meat in the summer by a Muslim group Lead to accusations “racism”.

Former Welsh Tory Senate leader Lord Bourne also criticized a message on X in which Davis asked constituents if they thought The Senedd should be abolished..

The party officially supports a Welsh system of government, in which the Welsh Parliament and Welsh Government govern the NHS, education, agriculture and councils, among other issues.

It comes after a weekend poll showed the Conservatives in fourth place in Wales behind Plaid Cymru, Reform and Labour.

Last week, Davies wrote: “A group of Seanad members approached me, threatening to resign from their positions in the shadow cabinet if I did not agree to stand down as leader.

“That is why I requested a motion of confidence in our leadership at a meeting this morning.

“The vote has now taken place. It was clear from the result that a large minority of the group does not support our approach, even though it is the only viable strategy available.

“Although I would have been honored to continue as leader, my position is untenable as a result.”

Davies wrote that his approach would “unify the centre-right” in Wales and “bring new support to the Conservative Party”.

He warned for Snydd with a new fully proportional electoral system in 2026: “Any other approach, especially one that would have resulted in a failure to confront controversial subjects and a failure to respond to public demands. Yes, there is a risk of electoral oblivion.

“During recent months, due to resistance from some members of the Seanad group, it has become difficult to take this necessary approach,” he said.

“In many cases, it was impossible to provide clarity on the message, with some members publicly contradicting themselves. This made it unclear to the public what the Conservative Party stands for in Wales.”

A member of the Welsh Conservative Senate who opposed Davis said it had been a “difficult few days”.

“We were all on the same page for this but we won’t be working as seven,” the source said of the growing competition.

“When you look at these seven names, I wouldn’t put them in a particular group.

“Andrew would have known there were seven against him so I’m not sure what proved today. He sees it as a personal attack, but everybody – whichever side he’s on – likes him personally. “

Along with Andrew RT Davies, eight other Conservative MS supported its continuation.

These were Gareth Davies, Paul Davies, Russell George, Mark Isherwood, Joel James, Laura Ann Jones, Darren Miller and Janet Finch Saunders.

His opponents were: Natasha Asghar, James Evans, Peter Fox, Tom Gifford, Altaf Hussain, Sam Kurtz and Sam Rowlands.

By Gareth Lewis, Political Editor, BBC Wales

Today’s results underscore deep divisions within the Conservative Seanad group, which will take time to heal over the tone and content of Andrew RT Davies’ letter. It will take

what now A leadership contest with a conservative source seems certain that it would be “simplistic” to think that the seven rebels will now act as one and unite behind one candidate.

That’s before anyone who might agree with Davis throws their name into the mix.

Whoever takes office has a job on their hands – direction, party unity, the threat of reform and dire polling ahead of the 2026 Snead election.

Conservative Party co-chairman Nigel Hiddleston MP thanked Davies “for his dedication and leadership of the Welsh Conservatives”.

“Over 10 years he has done a great job of holding the Welsh Labor Government to account – never missing an opportunity to highlight their mismanagement of the NHS, roads and the economy.

“The entire Conservative Party is united to renew the party for the future and I know Andrew will help us in that mission as he continues in his role as an Assembly member,” he said. Abuse of old title for Senedd politicians abolished in 2020.

Oliver Lewis, a spokesman for Reform UK Wales, said: “It is true that the Tories have thrown out another leader they thought would revive their failing party.

“They care more about jostling for position than serving the Welsh people.”

Davies is the second Welsh leader to resign this year – and the third in two years.

Labor replaced Van Gething in the summer, with Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price stepping down in 2023.