Tories to nominate Andrew RT Davies in First Minister vote

Emily Price

The Welsh Conservatives will nominate Andrew RT Davies in the vote to elect a new First Minister of Wales today.

Sources say Tory politicians in the Senedd don’t wish to give anyone the suggestion that the party supports the idea of Vaughan Gething as the next First Minister.

On Saturday (March 16) it was announced that the economy minister had narrowly won the Welsh Labour leadership election with 51.7% of the vote.

His campaign has been mired in controversy over a huge donation and the role of unions in nominating him.

Mark Drakeford formally resigned as First Minister on Tuesday afternoon (March 19) after five years in office.

Vote

On Wednesday (March 20) the Senedd will vote to confirm Mr Gething as Wales’ next First Minister.

He could be blocked if there is a united opposition and some abstentions from Labour MSs.

There has been rising discontent amongst Labour backbenchers over the £200,000 donation to Mr Gething’s campaign from a company run by a man twice convicted for environmental offences.

However, sources told Nation.Cymru that all Labour MSs are expected to vote for Vaughan Gething “without exception”.

Both the Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Cymru has made calls for the donation to be returned.

Andrew RT Davies had promised Welsh Conservative votes for Mr Gething, but on the condition he scraps some key policies such as the 20mph default speed limit and more politicians in the Senedd.

However, this is unlikely to happen.

Welsh Conservative MS, Gareth Davies said in a post to X: “I’ll be backing Andrew RT Davies to become First Minister today. The Welsh Conservatives are ready to govern for the people’s priorities in Wales.

“We’ve had 25 years of failure from Labour in Wales. We desperately need change.”

Judgement

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.

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.

Other parties in the Senedd have the right to put forward their leaders’ names in a symbolic gesture.

Plaid Cymru will also nominate its leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth in the vote to elect a new First Minister.

A spokesperson from the party said questions about judgement and transparency regarding Vaughan Gething’s leadership campaign “requires alternative candidates to be considered.”

Blocked

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

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.