Eluned Morgan becomes first woman to lead Welsh Labour

Eluned Morgan has been confirmed as the new Welsh Labour leader and is set to succeed Vaughan Gething as the first minister of Wales – the first woman to take the role.

Baroness Morgan, 57, the Welsh health minister, has been confirmed as the new leader of the party, after nominations closed on Wednesday, with her being the only contender.

She will replace Mr Gething, who announced his resignation last week after a torrid four months in office, featuring rows over donations and sacked ministers.

While she has been formally announced as party leader, she does not immediately become first minister, with that requiring a confirmation vote in the Senedd.

She has promoted herself as a “unity” candidate and was jointly running with rural affairs minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, who will become deputy first minister.

In a statement, Baroness Morgan said she was “truly honoured” to become the first woman to lead Welsh Labour and to be the party’s nominee for first minister.

She said: “At this pivotal time for our country, strength, stability, and unity will be my guiding principles.

“I want to ensure that everyone in Wales has the opportunity and ability to fulfil their potential.

“Huw Irranca-Davies and I stood proudly as a partnership, and we are delighted to have received the overwhelming support of Welsh Labour MSs and support from across Wales and the wider Labour movement.

“When we pledged unity, we meant it – and that is how we will lead.”

She promised to work with colleagues across the Senedd and Sir Keir Starmer’s UK Labour government, to focus on “improving things the things that matter most for everyone in our great country”.

She added: “Through my leadership, Wales – and what is best for our country – will always come above all else.”

Sir Keir has welcomed Baroness Morgan’s victory, calling it “fantastic news for Wales and the Labour Party”.

He said: “Eluned brings with her a wealth of experience and track record of delivery, and as the first woman to lead Welsh Labour, she is already making history.”

The new Welsh leader won the support of most of her party, including former first minister Mark Drakeford, and previous leadership contender Jeremy Miles.

The Welsh parliament is currently on recess until September, and it would need to be recalled for her to take over sooner.

That will not happen until the current first minister tenders his resignation to the King.

The Llywydd (presiding officer) Elin Jones, can then recall the Senedd, providing adequate notice for members to attend.

Members can vote remotely, providing they are in the UK.

Baroness Morgan, who was born in Cardiff, has received congratulations from the Conservative and Plaid Cymru party leaders.

However, both have also criticised her time in office as health minister, which has featured record Welsh NHS waiting lists.

Tory leader Andrew RT Davies said: “I firstly congratulate Eluned Morgan on becoming the first female leader of Welsh Labour, and if supported by the Senedd, Wales’ first ever female first minister.”

But added: “Eluned Morgan has presided over the worst Welsh NHS waiting lists on record, so the question must be asked, is this really the best that Labour can do?

“If her lack of delivery in Wales’ NHS is replicated across the Welsh economy and education system then Wales is going to be a lot worse off in the future.”

Plaid’s Rhun ap Iorwerth said the public was “crying out for more ambitious, more competent, and more effective leadership”.

He said: “I congratulate Eluned Morgan on becoming leader of Labour in Wales.

“The fact that she is the third leader in three months speaks volumes about the turmoil at the heart of the governing party.

“Wales needs its first minister to succeed, but for that to happen, decisions must be different, and outcomes must be better.”

The appointment of Baroness Morgan as leader is a significant departure from the timeline originally set out by Welsh Labour.

Initially, the party planned to have a new leader in place on 14 September, with them taking over as first minister on 18 September.

The race to replace Mr Gething as first minister began after four members of his government quit en masse last week, criticising his leadership.

He then announced he was standing down having only taken over as leader in March.

During the last leadership race, Mr Gething took a £200,000 donation for his campaign from a company owned by a man twice convicted of environmental offences, which led to some members of his own party criticising his judgment.

Last month Mr Gething lost a vote of no confidence in the Senedd, after rows over the donation, and his decision to sack Delyn MS Ms Blythyn as a minister.

All the other potential candidates who were expected to run in the Labour leadership race threw their support behind Baroness Morgan. This includes Mr Miles, who ran against Mr Gething in the last leadership race and was one of the four people to quit the government last week.

Mr Miles made a surprise move by becoming the first person to publicly endorse Baroness Morgan on Sunday before she had officially announced her candidacy.