Vaughan Gething new First Minister
VAUGHAN GETHING has vowed to stand up for Wales as he was formally nominated as Mark Drakeford’s successor as the next First Minister.
Mr Gething won a crunch vote, which was conducted by roll call, and Elin Jones, the Senedd’s speaker or Llywydd, will now recommend his appointment to the King.
He received the backing of 26 Labour MSs plus Jane Dodds, the Lib Dems’ leader in Wales, while the Plaid Cymru and Conservative groups nominated their own leaders.
Addressing the chamber or Siambr for the first time as First Ministerelect, Mr Gething began by paying tribute to Mr Drakeford’s leadership through the dark days of the pandemic.
The former economy and health minister, who was nominated by his predecessor, criticised “unprecedented hostility” towards democratic Welsh devolution in recent years.
Mr Gething accused the UK Government of being determined to “undermine, frustrate and bypass” the Welsh Government and Senedd. online casinos UK
“As well as leaving Wales with less say over less money, it is deeply corrosive, wasteful and undemocratic,” he said. “As First Minister, I look forward to standing up for Wales and for devolution in the weeks and months to come.
“But I relish the opportunity to cooperate for Wales with a new UK Government that invests in partnership and in Wales’ future.”
Mr Gething, who beat Jeremy Miles in the leadership race with 51.7% of the vote, told MSs: “I want Wales to thrive in the sunshine that hope and social justice can offer all of us – no matter what our background, what we look like or who we love.
“Wales deserves more than just sunny spells where hope too often feels hard to find – we can embrace fresh optimism and new ambition for a fairer Wales built by all of us.”