Anger over the resignation of Vaughan Gething is being voiced by supporters who feel he was forced out, according a former holder of Wales’ top job.

Alun Michael, who led the Labour administration in the Welsh Assembly from 1999 to 2000, said Mr Gething had been “forced out” and not given the support he needed.

Mr Gething said he would stand down after four members of the Welsh government dramatically released resignation statements calling for him to go.

He has been embroiled in controversy since he took over in March with rows over donations and the sacking of a minister.

Mr Michael, who served as first secretary in the Welsh Assembly, told Radio 4’s The World Tonight: “A lot of people are very angry and frustrated about the fact that Vaughan has been in effect forced out.

“We’ve lost somebody who was showing real leadership quality in taking Wales forward and taking difficult decisions and taking clear decisions in trying to give a leadership to the Welsh government and also to the Senedd.”

On Tuesday, Mr Gething announced he was resigning as first minister and that a new leader would be in place in the autumn.

He will carry on leading the Welsh government until his successor is chosen.

Mr Gething has been dogged by questions over a £200,000 campaign donation from a businessman convicted of environmental offences.

He has also be criticised over the sacking of former minister Hannah Blythyn for allegedly leaking to the media, which she denies.

It has been no secret relationships in the Senedd’s Labour group have been tense and at times dubbed “unworkable”.

On Tuesday morning, cabinet members Mick Antoniw, Lesley Griffiths, Julie James and Jeremy Miles quit their positions and called on Mr Gething to go.

Former economy secretary Mr Miles, who ran against Mr Gething for the leadership earlier this year, said: “The events of the last few months including your loss of the confidence vote in the Senedd have been incredibly painful. I can’t see any way forward for us.”

In his Senedd resignation speech, Mr Gething denied any wrongdoing, saying: “I regret that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics.”

Mr Gething said he had hoped over summer, “rebuilding and renewal” would happen but now recognised that was not possible.

He added: “In 11 years as a minister, I have never ever made a decision for personal gain.

“I have never ever misused or abused my ministerial responsibilities.”

Mr Michael, who resigned from Labour’s top job in Wales in 2000, said he was a friend of Mr Gething’s and had spoken to him on Tuesday.

“He’s very sad and he’s very regretful that he hasn’t been provided with the support that he needed,” he said.

Mr Michael said there were “good people in the Senedd” who could be leadership contenders and named the Health Secretary Eluned Morgan and the Rural Affairs Secretary Huw Irranca Davies.

The ruling body of Welsh Labour meets on the weekend and is expected to set out a timetable for the leadership campaign.