- Author, David Deans
- Role, Political journalist, BBC Wales News
Welsh Labour has confirmed it will elect a replacement for Vaughan Gething by mid-September.
The party’s Senedd politicians have until midday on Wednesday to decide who they will back in the leadership contest, triggered after the First Minister announced his resignation last week.
Party officials met on Saturday to agree plans for the election – the second the party has held this year.
The timetable is faster than the process used to elect Vaughan Gething between December and March, and the result will be announced on September 14.
Mr Gething will appear for a final session of First Minister’s Questions at the Senedd on September 17, with the new First Minister due to be formally installed the following day.
To appear on the ballot, candidates will need the support of either five other Labour Members of the Senedd (MSs), or the combined support of two other MSs and some constituency Labour parties, or affiliated organisations.
Nominations for members of the Senedd will open from 7pm BST on Saturday and close at 12pm on Wednesday.
The new leader will be elected by members of the Welsh Labour Party and its affiliated organisations, including trade unions.
Ballots will be sent out starting August 22 and must be returned by September 13.
Image source, Getty Images
No Labour Member of the Senedd (MS) has yet declared their intention to stand as a candidate.
One of the ministers who resigned on Tuesday – former economy secretary Jeremy Miles – is expected to stand.
BBC Wales has been told he already has the support of enough of his colleagues to secure his place on the ballot paper.
Mr Gething’s supporters say Mr Miles would not be able to unite Labour in the Senedd. Three of his allies told BBC Wales they would like to see Health Minister Eluned Morgan stand.
Other Senedd members considered as potential candidates include Transport Secretary Ken Skates and Climate Change Secretary Huw Irranca-Davies.
Some have called for a full-fledged leadership contest to elect Mr Gething’s successor rather than a coronation, with former first minister Mark Drakeford saying a contest could be a “cathartic experience” for the party.
Mr Drakeford also said he would “love” to have a woman on the ballot.
Divisions have developed over the controversy surrounding Mr Gething’s tenure.
He came under pressure over his decision to accept £200,000 in donations to his leadership campaign from a business owner who had twice been convicted of environmental offences.
His decision to sack a minister for leaking messages to the media was also controversial, as was his refusal to resign after losing a no-confidence vote in the Senedd.
In his resignation statement on Tuesday, Mr Gething said he had hoped a period of “rebuilding and renewal” would have been possible over the summer but now realised “that was not possible”.
On Thursday he told BBC Wales there were people who were “not prepared to accept” the result of the party’s last leadership contest.
