Profile: Who is Welsh Labour leadership contender Vaughan Gething?
Who is Vaughan Gething the man hoping to be the next first minister of Wales.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Vaughan Gething, Wales’ economy minister, is one of the two men vying to be the next first minister of Wales.
With the results of the Welsh Labour leadership race set to be declared on Saturday, here is everything you need to know about him.
While this is Mr Gething’s second run at the top job, he has been involved in politics from a young age, having joined the Labour Party at 17 to help campaign in the 1992 elections.
He has been a Member of the Senedd (MS) since 2011 and has sat in the cabinet since 2016.
He rose to prominence as health minister throughout the pandemic, a post he held from 2016 to 2021.
Mr Gething was born in Zambia in 1974, where his father, a Welsh vet from Ogmore-by-Sea in Glamorgan, met his mother, a chicken farmer.
He has spoken openly about his experiences of prejudice and said in his campaign material he does not want anyone in Wales to feel that way.
When he was two his family moved to Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, where his father was due to start a new job, but the offer was withdrawn when he arrived with a black family.
After his father lost his job in Abergavenny, the family moved to Dorset in England, and he later studied law at Aberystwyth University.
He unsuccessfully stood for the Mid and West Wales seat at the first National Assembly elections in 1999, before becoming councillor for the Butetown area of Cardiff in 2004.
He stood for the Senedd elections again in 2011, when he successfully took the Cardiff South and Penarth Seat.
This is the second time he has run for the top job, having stood in 2018 against Mark Drakeford.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.