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Vaughan Gething is set to become the next first minister of Wales after securing victory in the Labour leadership contest.
The economy minister will become the country’s first Black leader, and will replace Mark Drakeford, who announced his intention to quit in December after five years in the role.
Mr Gething was chosen by Welsh Labour members to lead their party leader in a result announced in Cardiff on Saturday, a day after his 50th birthday. However, he will not take over as first minister until Wednesday – when a vote will be held in the Senedd.
Vaughan Gething will be Wales’s next First Minister
(Ben Birchall/PA)
He beat his only rival, the education minister Jeremy Miles, in a vote open to only around 100,000 of the party faithful and members of affiliated organisations and trade unions.
Mr Drakeford is not expected to stand down immediately, and will take his final first minister’s questions on Tuesday.
The handover in power comes as Wales faces a challenging time, including farmers protesting, NHS waiting lists hitting record highs and an economy recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.
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