Vaughan Gething has won the Welsh Labour leadership election, paving the way for him to become Wales’ first black First Minister following a contest decided by Labour party members and affiliated organisations this month.
Mr Gething, 50, will officially become First Minister next week, deposing incumbent leader Mark Drakeford, who has been in the role since 2018 and announced plans to resign late last year.
In a historic result, the economy minister and former solicitor, who was born in Zambia, will become the country’s fifth leader since the National Assembly for Wales, now called the Senedd, was established in 1999.
Mr Gething was also the first black person to become a cabinet minister in one of the United Kingdom’s devolved governments.
Results were supposed to be announced in Cardiff at 9:45am on Saturday after voting closed Thursday, in polls inviting only Labour members and linked groups, like trade unions, to vote.
Mr Gething, who overcame competition from education minister Jeremy Miles, had the backing of most of the large unions and Lord Kinnock, who led the UK party from 1983 to 1992.
Mr Gething arrives at the Cardiff University Spark building ahead of the result on March 16
Jeremy Miles arrives at the Cardiff University Spark building ahead of the result on March 16
As Mr Gething was elected, he took time to praise his predecessor and competitor.
He thanked Mr Drakeford for his role in making Wales feel ‘safer’ at the ‘hardest of times’, and said he hoped he would remain ‘firm friends’ with Mr Miles ‘once the dust has settled’.
Mr Gething added that Mr Miles’ campaigning, ‘the story that you have told, the example that you have set’, had set new precedent for the future of Welsh politics.
In his victory speech, Mr Gething noted he would become not only the first Black first minister in Wales, but also in Europe.
While acknowledging the work of Mark Drakeford before him, he spoke of the long journey ahead and the challenge of ‘division’ to overcome.
‘Friends, let’s get to work,’ he concluded.
The leadership race has not been without controversy, most of which has centred on Mr Gething.
There have been a string of concerns raised around £200,000 of donations to Mr Gething from a company which was found guilty of environmental offences in January.
Atlantic Recycling, which is part of Dauson Environmental Group and controlled by David Neal, gave Mr Gething £100,000 on December 18 2023 and £100,000 on January 11 2024.
Atlantic Recycling was also fined £300,000 for one of its worker’s deaths in February after it pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety at work rules.
Earlier this week the BBC revealed that Mr Gething had lobbied regulators in favour of the company, asking Natural Resources Wales to ease restrictions on Atlantic Recycling in 2016.
Mr Gething and his team have always insisted the donation was declared in line with Senedd and Electoral Commission rules and that the minister is committed to transparency.
Early in the campaign concerns were also raised over the Unite union’s backing of Mr Gething, after his opponent was disqualified because he has never held ‘elected lay office as representatives of workers’.
Mr Miles said it was ‘a new rule that no-one was aware of’ and that members were unhappy.
But Unite insisted it had carried out the nomination process correctly and Mr Gething said it was up to the union to determine its own democratic processes.
Unlike previous Labour leadership elections, all the votes are equally weighted.
Selection in the past has used an ‘electoral college’ system, giving greater weight to MPs and Members of the Senedd.
Mr Drakeford is not expected to stand down immediately, with his final first minister’s questions on March 19.
A vote will also need to take place in the Senedd at which opposition groups can put forward their own candidates.
With Labour the largest party, it is unlikely that any other group would take the role.
The handover in power comes as Wales faces a challenging time, with farmers protesting, NHS waiting lists hitting record highs and an economy recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Drakeford accepted there would be issues for his successor to deal with.
He said: ‘At whatever point anybody takes on this job there will always be an in-tray that is full, and it will always be an in-tray that’s got some challenging issues in it.’
Asked what advice he would give his successor, Mr Drakeford told them to ‘be bold’ and to ‘push the boundaries’.
He said: ‘I’ve long argued that the danger for my party having been in power for an extended period in Wales is that we might look as though we’re simply sort of resting on our laurels, just sort of sitting back and just turning the handle on government.
‘The Labour Party is ambitious, it is radical, it is reforming, it will grasp the really challenging issues.’
Mr Drakeford will not stand down immediately and will hold his last first minister’s questions on March 19
Mr Drakeford has been in the role since 2018 and announced plans to resign late last year
Sir Keir Starmer has sent his thanks to Mark Drakeford as Wales’s next first minister is to be revealed.
The Labour leader said in a statement posted to X: “Mark Drakeford has serves as First Minister of Wales with distinction.
“He has shown steady leadership, particularly during the turbulent times of the pandemic. His commitment, hard work and service on behalf of the people of Wales has been unswerving.
“I want to personally thank Mark for all he has achieved during his term and as Leader of Welsh Labour and wish him the very best for the future.”
