Eluned Morgan confirms bid to replace Vaughan Gething
![](https://nation.cymru/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/53263038309_8609147c87_k-e1706094434208.jpg)
Health Secretary Eluned Morgan has officially announced she is running to replace outgoing First Minister Vaughan Gething, who lasted just four months in the post.
Baroness Morgan will be standing on a joint “unity” ticket with rural affairs minister Huw Irranca-Davies, who would become deputy first minister.
They have received a groundswell of support from across the Labour benches, including from Mr Gething’s rival in the last leadership race, Jeremy Miles.
Their announcement on Monday comes after Mr Gething was forced to announce his resignation as First Minister and Welsh Labour leader last week, after four members of his cabinet quit en masse in criticism of his leadership.
No other candidates have announced their intention to run, with Baroness Morgan automatically becoming Welsh Labour leader if that remains the case by Wednesday.
Senedd vote
However, she would not become first minister until she is confirmed in a vote in the Senedd.
If no one else stands, the Welsh Tories have said they will ask for the Welsh Parliament to be recalled from its summer recess to enable Baroness Morgan to take over.
Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has said this will “give Wales greater stability” arguing the country would be “without a functioning government for months over the summer” if the vote is delayed. The assembly is due to return on September 16.
Baroness Morgan is the Senedd member for Mid and West Wales and a peer in the House of Lords, where she is listed as being on a leave of absence, and was a member of the European Parliament.
In a statement, Baroness Morgan said: “I am proud to stand as a candidate to be the next leader of Welsh Labour, driven by a passion to serve the people and reset the relationship between the Government and the people of Wales.
“I am delighted to be teaming up with my fantastic colleague, Huw Irranca-Davies, who shares my passion and experience in government and strong sense of public duty. Together, we are committed to putting Wales back on track.
“In the coming days, we will set out our priorities to improve public services, create better, greener jobs and empower our communities.
“Our focus will be meaningful change and building a brighter future for communities across Wales.”
If Baroness Morgan succeeds, she will be the first female leader of Wales.
Proud
Mr Irranca-Davies, the MS for Ogmore, said: “I’m proud to be backing Eluned for the next leader of Welsh Labour and first minister of Wales, and I’m honoured to be campaigning alongside her on a joint ticket.
“Eluned has the energy and experience to lead and deliver for the people of Wales and harness the opportunity of working with a new UK Labour Government.
“Working together and with our leadership team, our Welsh Labour movement will keep working to improve people’s daily lives and standing up for a fairer and greener Wales.”
Deputy first minister positions are uncommon in Wales, with the roles having only been given to opposition groups working in coalition with the Labour leadership in the past.
Timetable
Welsh Labour’s ruling body set out a timetable for replacing Mr Gething on Saturday, members having until Wednesday to announce their candidacies.
Candidates must have six nominations to enter.
A new Labour leader will be in place by September 14 and, subject to a vote in the Senedd, will take over as first minister on September 18.
Mr Gething announced last Tuesday that he was standing down just four months after taking on the role.
He has faced a series of rows over a £200,000 donation to his leadership campaign from a company owned by a man twice convicted of environmental offences.
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 Hannah Blythyn as a minister.
Infighting
Responding to the announcement, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “After weeks of infighting – Labour’s focus is squarely on party management rather than on a change of direction for Wales, making a mockery of Starmer’s country before party pledge.
“Labour leaders in Wales of recent past and near future have one thing in common on their CV – an abysmal record of running the NHS which has led to record high waiting lists.
“Being in government is now seen as more important to Labour than knowing what to do with the levers at their disposal.
“If Eluned Morgan becomes the leader of Labour in Wales and should she become First Minister, she will prioritise healing Labour’s wounds rather than renewing the government’s sense of purpose.
“The absence of a policy platform can only mean one thing – more of the same tired ideas and outdated thinking which has led to Wales languishing at the bottom of economic, health and educational league tables after 25 years of Labour in power.
“Regardless of whoever becomes the next leader of Labour in Wales, Plaid Cymru will keep making the case for a fairer, more ambitious future for Wales.”
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
She broke the leadership principles, when she was caught speeding multiple times and banned and then forgot to tell both the Labour Group and the Senedd, how come the PLP think she is now the right person for the FM job?
Morgan is currently in charge of the Welsh NHS, it’s the worst in the UK. Why then is she seen as capable of running the country.
For me the most worrying part of the Labour in Wales fiasco is the loss of faith in devolution that could result. It could give more impetus to Reform. Hopefully Plaid can step up to the plate and replace Labour not Reform
Did you notice that a year before he became FM Vaughan Gething was moved away from Health and kept a low profile, presumably to let people forget the mess he made. But no such luck for poor Eluned 🙂
PS I wonder will she put Gething back at Health to make her time look good!!
I am not feeling a ‘poor Eluned’ as it seems to me the Labour Party in the Senedd is characterised by incompetence and a lack of vision.
Totally agree, but Plaid is going to have to start doing things that up until now have been very much against the grain, and that is to be constantly prepared to go for Labour’s jugular when required and to have robust and thought through responses when the inevitable backlashes occur. The prospect that Reform could enter the Senedd should be enough to focus the minds of both Plaid and Welsh Labour, as one of the reasons that Welsh Labour’s performance has been so bad is that Plaid has too often been too asleep at the wheel to be an effective… Read more »
Fair comment especially your point that Plaid needs to be engaged in a sustained programme of criticism within the Senedd and communication outside. The times for playing Mark’s little helpers are a thing of the past. The future is about shifting Labour out and blocking the entry of the Reform cancer.
Oh good 🙂
Another coronation !!
We need political leaders who believe in their country. Eluned Morgan has shown that she has no faith in her own country and its citizens by calling independence a pipe dream. Sadly, this attitude is all too common among Labour politicians. This is why we need a change in government to one that truly believes in Cymru/Wales and its people.
Eluned Morgan has been a dreadful Health Minister and I suspect will be every bit as disappointing as FM.
Her attitude to Cymraeg is pretty awful too.
I suppose we have to give her a chance. She can’t make a worse job of it than the last bloke. Wouldn’t it be refreshing if she didn’t treat it like her time as Health Minister but came at the job with an open and honest attitude. Things are broken and we’re bust. We all know that’s the situation so if she can cut out all of the waffle and nonsense and do something to start sorting things out. She’s got until 2026 then let the people decide.
Welsh Labour should face the same fate as the Conservative Party and the SNP last election. However thanks to the useless opposition we have in this country together with the mentality of not all but a large number of voters we are stuck with this tired party who look out of ideas. Baroness Morgan, the speeder, the mediocre Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, is this really the best candidate?
So far no-one else wants to stand……… wonder why. Is she being set up? She offers to empower the communities? Exactly how will this happen what power is she talking about sounds like another labour spun smokescreen to make the population think they have a say, as we all know with labour’s agenda we don’t we must do as we are told by a career politician ex EU parliamentarian and a member of the house of Lords, Wales dose not stand a chance for freedom.
Hopefully by 2026 wales will have had enough of labour and if other parties work hard on becoming a viable real alternative we will then stand more of a chance.
A career politician whose arrogance knows no bounds. Unprincipled, incompetent as health minister. Certainly not a socialist. Did you know that she has a holiday home in St Davids whilst youngsters there have nowhere to live + the surgery ha closed!!!!!
Duw, what a prospect. Hasn’t Wales suffered enough with 25 years of Welsh Labour rule? Eluned Morgan and Huw Irranca-Davies, the Sonny & Cher of Welsh politics. I’ve got you babe. Yeah like a dose of bloody dysentery!
Did anyone see coverage of Eluned’s speech yesterday at the Royal Welsh?
She said she looked forward to being Wales first female “HEAD OF STATE” 🙂
Maybe the Royal bit went to her head, as who does she think she now is The Queen??
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0021gdq/bbc-wales-today-late-news-22072024