Vaughan Gething has replaced Mark Drakeford as the Leader of Welsh Labour and will become the next First Minister of Wales.
This morning the party announced Gething won the leadership race beating Jeremy Miles, following Mark Drakeford’s resignation late last year.
Gething will be Wales’ fifth Labour First Minister in Wales since devolution began over a quarter of a century ago. Not only will he be the fifth leader of Wales, he will also be written into the history books for becoming the first black leader of a European country.
Vaughan Gething’s winning manifesto focussed on making the NHS the budget priority. Expanding childcare was also one of the pledges Vaughan Gething has promised, as the Welsh Government is under pressure to bring childcare policy into line with the UK Government’.
Gething also pledged to tackle the existing 2,500 coal tips across Wales. 58 years after the Aberfan disaster where 116 children and 28 adults died – some coal tips are still yet to be removed and still pose a threat to thousands of people across Wales.
“No one should have to live with the entirely preventable fear and anxiety that these tips cause for families in coalfield communities. This issue should be tackled as a matter of urgency.”
Around 100,000 Labour members or affiliated organisations took part in the leadership vote. Vaughan Gething received the backing form Lord Kinnock, the former Labour Party Leader as well as most of the big unions.
Gething’s leadership campaign has been marred in controversy concerning six-figure donations made to his campaign by a twice convicted criminal.
Atlantic Recycling – which is connected to Dauson Environmental Group and controlled by David Neal has donated £200,000 to Gething’s campaign. David Neal was given a suspended prison sentence in 2013 for illegally dumping waste and prosecuted again in 2017 for not removing it. A BBC report found that Vaughan Gething lobbied on behalf of Atlantic Recycling in 2016, asking Natural Resources Wales to ease restrictions on the company.
Asked in February during a BBC debate if Mr Neal was an appropriate person to receive donations from. Gething said “all donations are checked and then filed properly with the Electoral Commission and indeed declared to the Senedd…The issue in Pembrokeshire is one that I understand is being resolved in accordance with NRW guidance and requirements and will be dealt with in the coming weeks.” In addition, during the leadership campaign it emerged Unite, Wales largest union rendered Jeremy Miles’ nomination void and left Vaughan Gething the successful candidate by default.
Gething has been a Member of the Senedd since 2011 and has sat in the cabinet since 2016. Gething became front and centre for many across Wales during the pandemic as Health Minister – a position he held from 2016-2021.
Mark Drakeford will take his last First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday 19th of March at the Senedd.
After finishing his last FMQs, the First Minister will tender his resignation to the King.
On Wednesday 20th March, the Senedd will begin to nominate Vaughan Gething to become First Minister. This will be announced by the Llywydd (Presiding Officer).
The Llywydd will send a letter to the His Majesty the King, recommending appointment.
Once the Llywydd has informed the Welsh Government of His Majesty’s approval, the new First Minister will take the statutory Official Oath.
Once that Oath is taken – Gething will be walking into a heavy in-tray.
Alongside a cost-of-living crisis, Wales’ NHS is dealing with record waiting lists. In March 2023, there were more than 734 thousand people waiting for NHS treatment in Wales. Gething who was Health Minister from 2016 – 2021 will face tough questions on the state of the NHS in Wales now that he is First Minister.
In Education, Wales is behind the other three nations in PISA assessments. In the first assessments since Covid, scores were the lowest of all UK nations and the gap with results is widening.
Gething will inherit controversial policies from outgoing Mark Drakeford. Next week the full enforcement of the controversial 20mph policy will roll out across Wales, as the petition against the policy nears 470,000 signatures. And just last month the Senedd saw its biggest protest, as thousands of farmers met on the steps of the Senedd over proposed changes to environmental policy.
In what will be a battle ground of an election year, Gething will be front and centre of leading Welsh Labour into political war. Labour has its eyes firmly set on winning back Red Wall seats in north and south Wales. Gething will need to galvanise support in a nation that traditionally backs Labour but has controversial policies like the 20mph scheme that saw record breaking political engagement against Welsh Government.
The question is whether Vaughan Gething will be popular enough with the public to maintain or even develop Labour’s stronghold in Wales at the upcoming general election and next year’s Senedd election.
