Vaughan Gething's tenure as First Minister of Wales lasted only 118 days before he announced his resignation.
Welsh Labour has confirmed that a new First Minister will be elected by mid-September. The party's Senedd members have until noon on Wednesday to declare their support for candidates in the leadership contest, which was triggered by Gething's resignation last week.
Background and Timeline
Mr. Gething resigned after three ministers and his chief legal adviser quit on Tuesday. Following his departure, party officials met on Saturday to outline plans for the election—the second this year. The election process will be faster than the one that elected Gething, with the new leader set to be announced on 14 September. Gething will participate in his final First Minister's Questions in the Senedd on 17 September, with the new First Minister being formally installed the following day.
Nomination Process
To appear on the ballot, candidates need the support of either five Labour Members of the Senedd (MSs) or a combination of two MSs and some constituency Labour parties or affiliated organizations. Nominations open at 19:00 BST on Saturday and close at noon on Wednesday. The election will involve Welsh Labour members and affiliated organizations, including trade unions, with ballots sent out on 22 August and returned by 13 September.
Potential Candidates
Jeremy Miles, who narrowly lost to Gething in the last leadership race, is expected to run and is reported to have enough support to secure a place on the ballot. However, some supporters of Gething claim Miles would struggle to unite the Senedd Labour party and are backing Health Secretary Eluned Morgan instead. Other potential candidates include Transport Secretary Ken Skates and Climate Change Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies.
Call for a Leadership Contest
Former First Minister Mark Drakeford has called for a full leadership contest, suggesting it could be a "cathartic experience" for the party. He has also expressed a desire to see a woman on the ballot.
Controversies During Gething's Tenure
Gething's brief tenure was marked by controversy. He faced criticism for accepting £200,000 in donations from a business owner with environmental offence convictions and for sacking a minister who leaked messages to the media. Additionally, his decision to remain in office after losing a no-confidence vote further fueled the controversy. In his resignation statement, Gething expressed a hope for "rebuilding and renewal" over the summer but acknowledged that this was no longer possible. He later told BBC Wales that some people had not accepted the outcome of the previous leadership contest. Photo by National Assembly for Wales from Wales, Wikimedia commons.