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 First Minister – 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.
Unity candidate
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.
Recess
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.”
Competent
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 Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said: “I would first like to congratulate Eluned Morgan on her successful nomination as the leader of Welsh Labour, it would be a fantastic achievement to be the first female First Leader and I am delighted to see another woman leading the way in Welsh politics.
“It is now up to both Eluned and Welsh Labour to re-earn the trust of both the Senedd and, most importantly, the people of Wales.
“The last few months of Welsh Labour scandals and in-fighting has been an unhelpful distraction from resolving the challenges facing Wales. Unfortunately, these recent events have undoubtedly undermined trust in Welsh politics. Welsh Labour must realise that they can no longer take the Welsh electorate for granted, trust must be earned.”
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 September 14, with them taking over as first minister on September 18.
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I wish her well. I also wish her more success and more openness than she achieved and displayed when responsible for the NHS in Wales.
She said in a Wales online interview when she was running for Leader the last time, that she would resign from the Lords if she won. (Not sure about keeping her Baroness status). Has she confirmed any of this in the current speed date coronation? Maybe having a real life Baroness running the show is enough to keep the Wales masses quiet. “Eluned, the people’s Baroness”.
Let’s just hope she keeps the official Porsche securely in the lock up.
What other job is there where you are promoted for failure?
Illustrates the difference between politics and the real world.
Let’s see if she is prepared to listen to the population of Wales. Will she scrap 20mph, look again at expanding the senedd. Fund the country properly stop spending on vanity project and sort out Education, NHS, infrastructure Etc the things that matter???????
There’s more important things to worry about that repealing the 20 mph default speed limit. The law itself is good, it’s how & where it was implemented & executed that’s wrong. Baby & bathwater scenario. Stop getting your news from Facebook , Tick Tok or X. Think for yourself. Don’t be led by your nose. Do some research. Expand your mind not your waste. Talking all things expanding. Enlarging the Senedd Cymru is no vanity project. So you want Wales Senedd to be the only institution understaffed compared to England’s House of Commons & Lords, Scotland’s Holyrood Parliament and Northern… Read more »
Try, Wales is not an independent country as you admit, funded from the trough of a foreign government as you admit, unable to support itself as you admit, controlled from outside its borders, as you admit, the inability of elected members of the senedd to allocate adequate funds to the NHS with the lowest standards in the UK, the lowest standards of education within the UK, lowest standards of social services, lowest standards in infrastructure, and where is the independence that was promoted 25 years ago, while the gravy train from Westminster is still running we will never be independent.… Read more »
And endorsed by the king of Labour nepotism Kinnock….
Did anyone notice Neil Kinnock’s comment on Eluned Morgan becoming Welsh Labour leader? He said, and I quote: “Morgan has taken this on because of her duty to Labour”. Ironic really , as Keir Starmer stated on becoming PM that he would put country before party. Shows where his ( Kinnock) and her priority lies. Labour first, Wales last. This wouldn’t happen with First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and a Plaid Cymru Welsh Government.
Who told you to change the photograph to one that resembles her first appointment to the gravy train…?
What else could Kinnock say but there went we…up to the top of the EU pole…
A good life, eh! Steve, just like Fat Shanks…
I agree. Well said. Concerning Englishman Neil Kinnock. That hypocrite should wrap himself tightly in his ermin robe , then go back to the House of Lords to collect his daily perk of £332 and be quiet for once in his self serving life. The further the way the better. He’s done enough damage to Wales.
Dw i’n cytuno. Kinnock — the George Thomas of his generation — has been a pernicious influence on Wales who became a political dinosaur the day the former Welsh Assembly held its first day of business. I think we can safely dismiss his opinion on any matter relating to Welsh politics.
She said she would reduce waiting lidts. So what was she doing when health minister not much obviously