The three candidates...

ON DECEMBER 6 Welsh Labour will announce its new leader – and Wales’ next First Minister.

The candidates are Mark Drakeford, Vaughan Gething and Eluned Morgan.

The choice is down to Welsh Labour members, and before the vote takes place a series of hustings are being held at venues across Wales.

All three have now launched their campaigns, with early statements of what they are promising if given the top job.

MARK DRAKEFORD What is he promising?

Mark Drakeford will announce his policy plans at different events over the next four weeks.

“I will be announcing policies at a series of themed launches over the next few weeks – all policies will be announced before the ballot papers go out.

“The first launch, on the economy, will take place this Saturday at Coleg Cambria, Northop.”

VAUGHAN GETHING What is he promising?

1. An end to holiday hunger

He says rising levels of poverty are “unacceptable” and children should not be “filling their pockets with food from school canteens” or using food banks.

He wants to “learn from the School Holiday Enrichment Programme”.

2. Free tuition for care leavers

Mr Gething says he will remove the barriers care leavers face in their education.

“Every care leaver in Wales will no longer have to pay for university tuition,” he promises.

3. A living wage

“We will commit to making significant progress on the living wage. I mean the real living wage and not the Tory version. Every staff member in the National Care Service of Wales will as a minimum have the living wage.”

4. A new childcare offer

Extending free childcare to parents in workrelated education with three- or four-year-old children or working parents of two-year-olds in poverty.

5. Extending apprenticeships Apprenticeships for “everyone that wants one” by increasing the support budget and making it easier for businesses to be involved.

6. A National Care Service

Creating a Welsh National Care Service. It would be a “universal service” delivered by local authorities funded with new tax powers.

7. A People’s Vote on Brexit

“I don’t just support a People’s Vote because of the mounting evidence that Labour and trade union members back a People’s Vote in ever-increasing numbers. I firmly believe it is the right thing to do for our children’s future, for our country’s future.”

ELUNED MORGAN

What is she promising?

1. A focus on the economy

She says the economy will be her number-one focus in a bid to end poverty.

“My primary focus will be on growing the economy in order to generate wealth which can then be used to support our hard-pressed public services.”

2. A minister north Wales

During her “Beyond the Bubble” campaign she said she wanted to see a specific minister for north Wales because she was “acutely aware that the Welsh Assembly has not connected with parts of north Wales in the same way it has in other areas.”

3. A People’s Vote

She said she supports a People’s Vote on Brexit because voters were “lied to”. She wants to see a vote on the final deal put to the British public. She would, she says, fight to remain in the EU.

4. Support for adult learning

The “Ladder for Life” policy was the first she announced at her campaign launch, promising other specific ideas would follow.

It would give a second chance at education, improving chances of people getting betterpaid jobs. It would involve offers of retraining or upskilling, “moving beyond apprenticeships” with short courses or evening classes to “respond to the changing needs of the employment market”. for