Wales is on track to have its first female leader as Eluned Morgan was selected to lead the Welsh Labour Party. This follows the resignation of Vaughan Gething, who stepped down recently amidst controversy over campaign donations, leaving the party seeking to mend divisions and move forward.
Morgan, aged 57, presently serves as the Welsh health secretary and emerged as the sole nominee to succeed Gething. Following her announcement as the new party leader on Wednesday, she is set to assume the role of first minister pending a confirmation vote in Wales’ parliament, the Senedd.
The swift leadership transition sidesteps a formal contest and allows Welsh Labour to present a united front following the turbulent conclusion of Gething’s brief tenure, which spanned just over three months.
Morgan said, “We’ve been through a difficult time, we’re now looking to the future. I don’t think it’s been a pretty picture in the last few weeks. I think we’ve got to fess up and accept that’s the situation.”
Gething, who made history in March by becoming the first Black leader of a government in the U.K., drew scrutiny when it was revealed he had accepted £200,000 in donations during his leadership campaign from a recycling company. This company’s owner had previously been convicted of environmental offenses and breaching health and safety regulations. Additionally, another company under the same owner received a loan from the government-owned Development Bank of Wales in 2023, a period during which Gething served as economy minister. In June, Gething faced a nonbinding no-confidence vote in the Senedd and initially indicated he would remain in his position despite the outcome. However, he resigned last week following the departure of four members of his government in protest.
Wales, with a population of approximately 3 million people, constitutes one of the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom, alongside England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The central government in London oversees defense, foreign affairs, and other matters affecting the entire UK, while administrations in Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast manage local affairs such as education and healthcare.
Morgan, a member of the House of Lords, said she was “truly honored” at becoming the first woman to lead Welsh Labour. She emphasized that her guiding principles would be “strength, stability, and unity.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer who also represents the Labour Party, said Morgan’s appointment was “fantastic news for Wales and the Labour Party. 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.”