A leadership election is expected to take place to select Vaughan Gething's successor as leader of Welsh Labour, who in turn will become First Minister of Wales. Gething announced his resignation on 16 July 2024, four months after his election.
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Background
editFollowing Mark Drakeford's resignation as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour, Vaughan Gething was elected to succeed him in the February–March 2024 Welsh Labour leadership election. Gething was officially nominated as First Minister by the Senedd on 20 March 2024,[1][2] and announced his cabinet the following day.[3][4] In the process, he became the first black First Minister of Wales,[5] as well as the first black leader of any European country.[6][2] His appointment to His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council was announced on 28 March 2024 as part of the 2024 Special Honours.[7]
During the inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic response, Gething stated that he had not deliberately deleted any messages from his phone.[8] On 7 May, Nation.Cymru obtained text messages from Gething in a Welsh Government group chat, in which he said "I'm deleting the messages in this group. They can be captured in an FOI [Freedom of Information request] and I think we are all in the right place on the choice being made."[8] Gething denied allegations of perjury put to him in by Rhun ap Iorwerth in First Minister's Questions the same day, describing the allegations as 'obnoxious'.[9] A few days later, he removed Hannah Blythyn from her role as Minister for Social Partnership, alleging that she was the leak of the text messages.[10] She denied this.[11] Blythyn was replaced by Sarah Murphy on 17 May.[12]
On 17 May, Rhun ap Iorwerth announced that Plaid Cymru had withdrawn from the co-operation agreement with Welsh Labour.[13] On 5 June, after just 77 days as First Minister, Gething faced a non-binding vote of no-confidence in him as First Minister, tabled by the Welsh Conservatives, in which he lost by a margin of 29 votes to 27.[14] Despite losing the no confidence vote, Gething announced he would not resign as First Minister on 8 June.[15] However, on 16 July, he announced his resignation,[16] an hour after ministers Mick Antoniw, Julie James, Lesley Griffiths and Jeremy Miles stepped down from their posts.[17] His resignation, announced 118 days into his premiership,[18] will formally take effect when his successor is elected, and will make him the shortest serving First Minister since the role was created, a record previously held by Alun Michael as First Secretary of Wales.[19][20]
Candidates
editPotential
editReferences
edit- ^ "Plenary 20/03/2024". Welsh Parliament. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ a b Cassidy, Maria; Shuttleworth, Peter (20 March 2024). "Vaughan Gething appointed Wales' first minister". BBC News. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ Mosalski, Ruth (21 March 2024). "Live updates as Vaughan Gething confirms his cabinet appointments in first full day in Wales' top job". WalesOnline. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ Browne, Adrian (21 March 2024). "New First Minister Vaughan Gething announces cabinet". BBC News. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
- ^ Browne, Adrian; Deans, David (16 March 2024). "Welsh Labour leadership: Vaughan Gething to be Wales' next first minister". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ Morris, Steven (16 March 2024). "Vaughan Gething to become Welsh first minister after Labour leadership win". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ "Privy Council appointment: March 2024" (PDF). GOV.UK. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ a b Mansfield, Mark (7 May 2024). "Vaughan Gething misled UK Covid Inquiry by not admitting he deleted messages". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ Mosalski, Ruth (7 May 2024). "Vaughan Gething denies 'obnoxious' claim he committed perjury at Covid inquiry". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ Mosalski, Ruth (16 May 2024). "Vaughan Gething sacks member of cabinet over leak". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ "I am deeply shocked and saddened by what has happened today. I am clear and have been clear that I did not, nor have I ever leaked anything. Integrity is all in politics and I retain mine. 1/2 🧵". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ Price, Emily (17 May 2024). "Sarah Murphy replaces sacked junior minister Hannah Blythyn". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ Hayward, Will (17 May 2024). "Plaid Cymru pulls out of deal to support Labour in the Senedd". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
- ^ "Vaughan Gething: Welsh first minister to face no-confidence vote". BBC News. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Vaughan Gething won't quit after losing vote of no confidence". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ Grierson, Jamie (16 July 2024). "Vaughan Gething resigns as first minister of Wales". the Guardian. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ Grierson, Jamie (16 July 2024). "Vaughan Gething's leadership in peril as four Welsh ministers resign". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ Mercer, Rosie; Deans, David (16 July 2024). "Who is Vaughan Gething, the outgoing first minister of Wales?". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Vaughan Gething quits as Welsh First Minister following resignations from his government". ITV News. 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Alun Michael no longer shortest serving First Minister after Northern Ireland FM steps down". Nation.Cymru. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b Mercer, Rosie (16 July 2024). "Who will replace Vaughan Gething? The runners and riders to be Wales' next first minister". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d Mosalski, Ruth (16 July 2024). "Next Wales First Minister candidates as Vaughan Gething quits". Wales Online. Retrieved 16 July 2024.