what next for vaughan gething?

Although Vaughan Gething is now Leader of Welsh Labour, Mark Drakeford remains First Minister of Wales. He will take part in his final First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday, after which he’s expected to formally tender his resignation as FM to the King.

On Wednesday, attention will move to the Senedd as MSs gather to select a new First Minister. Technically the Senedd isn’t appointing Mark Drakeford’s replacement - that’s a job for the King. Members of the Senedd will choose a nominee for First Minister. Welsh Labour MSs will propose Vaughan Gething and other parties in the Senedd may propose alternatives. If there is more than one name proposed, Senedd Members will vote - but given the maths, Vaughan Gething can be confident he’ll win the vote.

Later on Wednesday, the King will formally appoint the new First Minister on the advice of the Senedd’s Presiding Officer.  Vaughan Gething will then need to put together his cabinet, appointing ministers and deputy ministers.

For any head of government, be they president, prime minister or first minister putting together a cabinet is an important duty with several factors to consider. The new First Minister will want a mix of new blood and old hands, and will need to balance things like gender and geography. 

And then there’s the tricky task of getting the internal politics right. When Mark Drakeford appointed his first cabinet in 2018, he not only gave jobs to a number of his prominent supporters, but he also gave roles to the candidates he defeated. There is no set right or wrong way to appoint a cabinet but get it wrong - like Liz Truss did in 2022 and it can be an early stumble that’s hard to recover from.

The new cabinet will have a period of grace. The Senedd breaks for Easter, meaning new ministers will have time to ‘read into’ their jobs before taking questions from MSs when the Senedd returns in the middle of April. Don’t expect Vaughan Gething and his ministers to be quiet though. The in-tray is stacked full, and the new First Minister will want to hit the ground running with a series of announcements and visits. And should Rishi Sunak opt for a May General Election, Vaughan Gething will be back out on the campaign trail.

Published: March 16, 2024