How Eluned Morgan’s coronation is expected to play out

Emily Price

The Senedd will be recalled this week to appoint a new Labour First Minister following months of infighting and controversies. Here’s how it’s expected to play out…

Outgoing First Minister Vaughan Gething resigned from office last month after several members of his cabinet quit in protest against his leadership after only four months in the job.

His short tenure saw him embroiled in scandals over a huge donation to his leadership campaign from a convicted polluter and the sacking of one of his junior ministers, Hannah Blythyn.

Health Secretary Eluned Morgan replaced Mr Gething as leader of Welsh Labour two weeks ago without a leadership contest.

On Tuesday (August 6) the outgoing First Minister, Vaughan Gething will first need to formally tender his resignation to the King.

The Welsh Government will inform the Llywydd as soon as the Palace confirms that the resignation has been accepted. The Llywydd will notify the Senedd that this has been received.

Nominations for First Minister will take place during Plenary at around 11am.

If only one Member is nominated, that person will be declared the ‘nominee’.

This is different to how things work in Westminister when a new Prime Minister is appointed.

There, a new Prime Minister is appointed by the King under the Royal Prerogative as they lead the party which can command the confidence of the House of Commons.

In the Senedd, any member could be nominated to be First Minister.

However, because the nominee has to have a simple majority of support, this would normally be the leader of the largest political group in the Senedd.

Vote

If more than one nomination is made, every MS except for the Llywydd and deputy presiding officer will be given the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidate by roll call.

But other parties in the Senedd could put forward their leaders’ names in a symbolic gesture.

A Welsh Conservative source said the Tories plan to vote for their party leader, Andrew RT Davies to be First Minister.

Plaid Cymru MSs will similarly vote for Rhun an Iorwerth.

Lib Dem Jane Dodds who voted to affirm Gething as First Minister – unlike the other opposition groups – will abstain from the vote.

This means that Eluned Morgan will almost certainly be crowned Wales’ new FM.

But if all opposition parties were to unite and vote for one opposition leader, they could block Baroness Morgan from becoming FM.

If there is a tie, another vote must take place, but this doesn’t have to happen immediately.

In the 2016 election, when Labour won 29 seats, Plaid Cymru nominated their leader Leanne Wood for the office of First Minister.

Blocked

Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Conservatives, and UKIP successfully blocked Carwyn Jones by all voting for Leanne Wood.

Carwyn Jones also received 29 votes from Labour and Liberal Democrat MS, Kirsty Williams, creating a deadlock.

A week later, Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru agreed to a minority Labour government and Carwyn Jones was appointed First Minister.

Once a nomination is made by the Senedd the successful candidate will give a short address before Llywydd draws proceedings to a close.

The Llywydd will then recommend to the King that they are appointed as First Minister of Wales.

Counsel General 

Once this appointment is made, the new First Minister will begin forming their new Cabinet.

However, the Counsel General – currently Vaughan Gething after Mick Antoniw refused to sit under him – will cease to hold office when the new First Minister is appointed.

There will be a debate on a motion to recommend a new Counsel General expected after summer recess.

This formal appointment is also made by King Charles after the Senedd gives its recommendation.

There may need to be changes to Senedd postholders following the new First Minister’s Cabinet announcements, such as new Committee Chairs and Committee membership.

The entire process of Vaughan Gething stepping down and a new First Minister being appointed can be viewed live on Senedd TV tomorrow.