2024 Welsh Labour leadership election
16 February – 16 March 2024
 
Candidate Vaughan Gething Jeremy Miles
Incumbent leader

Mark Drakeford


The 2024 Welsh Labour leadership election is due to take place to select Mark Drakeford's successor as leader of Welsh Labour. Drakeford announced his resignation and retirement on 13 December 2023, five years after his election. Voting is scheduled to begin in February 2024 with a new leader announced in March 2024. The next scheduled Senedd election is due on or before 7 May 2026.

Background

In his leadership election, and several times subsequently, Drakeford said he would leave the role midway through the Senedd term, sometimes specifically saying he expected to leave in 2024.[1][2][3]

On 9 August 2023, Drakeford said he will leave the Welsh parliament at the next election, but refused to be drawn on at what point before 2026 he would quit as first minister.[4] In October 2023 Drakeford confirmed he would stand down "...some time in the next calendar year" but again refused to be drawn on exactly when.[5]

On 13 December 2023, Drakeford announced his intention to resign as Welsh Labour Leader by March 2024, with the leadership election to begin shortly after his December announcement.[6] He denied that the timing was related to criticism he and his government had received for its expansion of 20 mph zones as a default for residential areas.[7]

Timeline

The timeline for the election was discussed by the Welsh Executive Committee on 13 December 2023 and announced on 16 December.[8][9] Nominations will open on 18 December 2023 and end for MSs on 21 December and for party affiliates and Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) on 29 January 2024.[9] The final candidates will be confirmed later that day, with hustings beginning from 30 January and lasting until 21 February.[10] Voting will open on 16 February and close on 14 March, with the winning candidate announced on 16 March.[10][9] Under the current rules, candidates must be a serving MS[9] and require 20% of current Labour MSs to nominate them. This equates to six, including themselves.[11] Alternatively, a candidate can be validly nominated with three MSs in addition to three party affiliates including two trade unions, or by three MSs in addition to 20% of CLPs in Wales.[12]

Campaign

The Institute of Welsh Affairs reported that campaign issues would include the Welsh NHS, the climate, constitutional and democratic reform, economic issues, and the party's relationship to the wider UK Labour Party.[13]

Various candidates were expected to put themselves forward in the election. Media speculation considered the economy minister Vaughan Gething, the education minister Jeremy Miles and the health minister Eluned Morgan to be the most likely candidates to stand. Morgan ruled out standing on 15 December, saying she wanted to focus on her ministerial work.[14]

Gething announced his candidacy on 14 December. Gething has served as an MS for Cardiff South and Penarth since 2011, as health minister from 2016 to 2021 and as economy minister since 2021. He previously stood for the leadership of Welsh Labour in 2018 against Drakeford. He said he would maintain NHS spending in Wales to ensure it was the same or higher per person as in England and would consult patients, staff and trade unions about how to improve performance.[15]

Miles announced his candidacy on 18 December, with the support of more than half of Labour MSs.[16][17] Miles has served as the MS for Neath since 2016, as counsel general and Brexit minister from 2018 to 2021 and as education and Welsh language minister since 2021.[18] Miles said he would immediately begin a review of the implementation of 20 mph zones in Wales, but would not reverse the policy overall. He said he would increase Welsh government spending on health and education, with a focus on reducing NHS waiting times including by starting "dedicated orthopaedic centres for knee and hip replacements". He wanted powers over "crime, justice and benefits" to be devolved to Wales.[19] Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives criticised him for calling for increases in education spending after having cut the education budget as the minister responsible.[20] He also promised to establish an economic council to advise the Welsh Government.[20]

Candidates

Declared

Candidate Political office Date declared Nominations Ref.

Vaughan Gething		 Health and social services minister (2016–2021)
Economy minister (2021–present)
MS for Cardiff South and Penarth (2011–present)		 14 December 2023 11 / 30
36.7%
Nominations
 [24]

Jeremy Miles		 European transition minister (2018–2021)
Counsel General (2017–2021)
Education and Welsh language minister (2021–present)
MS for Neath (2016–present)		 18 December 2023 17 / 30
56.7%
Nominations
 [17]

Mark Drakeford and Jane Hutt (Chief Whip) are not supporting any candidate due to their positions.[17]

Declined

The following MSs have said they will not seek election:

Endorsements

The following is a list of endorsements from other notable figures, such as MPs, though they do not have any bearing on whether a candidate is nominated or not.

Vaughan Gething

MPs

Police and Crime Commissioners

Trade unions

Jeremy Miles

MPs

Former MEPs

Peers

References

  1. ↑ "Mark Drakeford 'will not serve whole Senedd term'". BBC News. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  2. ↑ Hayward, Will (26 December 2022). "The Mark Drakeford interview as First Minister confirms he intends to stand down in 2024". WalesOnline. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  3. ↑ Morris, Steven (1 January 2023). "Welsh Labour is readying for snap general election, says Mark Drakeford". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "Mark Drakeford to quit Senedd at next election". BBC News. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "Labour: Drakeford makes case for party being bold in power". BBC News. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  6. ↑ Morris, Steven (13 December 2023). "Mark Drakeford to step down as Wales first minister". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford resigns". BBC News. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Mosalski, Ruth (13 December 2023). "Who is going to replace Mark Drakeford as Welsh Labour leader". WalesOnline. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "What's next for the Welsh Labour leadership race? – Full timeline for next First Minister revealed". ITV News. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  10. 1 2 Mosalski, Ruth (19 December 2023). "The date Wales will have a new First Minister". WalesOnline. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  11. ↑ Blake, Aled (4 November 2017). "Welsh Labour agrees new leadership election rules". Wales Online. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford resigns". BBC News. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  13. ↑ Furet, Marine (15 December 2023). "IWA Analysis: View from the starting line: Key issues in the race to become First Minister". Institute of Welsh Affairs. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Drakeford resigns: Eluned Morgan out of Wales leader race". BBC News. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  15. ↑ "Vaughan Gething says he would be dead without NHS". BBC News. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  16. ↑ "Drakeford resigns: Eluned Morgan out of Wales leader race". BBC News. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Jeremy Miles officially joins race to succeed Mark Drakeford as Labour leader in Wales". Sky News. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "Welsh Labour leadership: Majority of party MSs back Jeremy Miles". BBC News. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  19. ↑ "Jeremy Miles rules out 20mph U-turn if he becomes first minister". BBC News. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Jeremy Miles says he'll increase spending on education if he becomes Wales' First Minister".
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Vaughan Gething announces Welsh first minister bid". BBC News. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  22. ↑ Williams, Rhys (20 December 2023). "Welsh Labour leadership: Who's backing who to become the next First Minister?". Caerphilly Observer. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  23. ↑ "Jeremy Miles secures majority support from Labour MSS in quest to replace First Minister". 17 December 2023.
  24. ↑ "Vaughan Gething enters race to succeed Mark Drakeford as Wales's first minister". Sky News. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  25. 1 2 "Vaughan Gething confirms he will stand in race to be next leader of Welsh Labour and First Minister".
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Masters, Adrian (15 December 2023). "Jeremy Miles has enough endorsements to be balloted for next Welsh Labour leader and First Minister". ITV News.
  27. ↑ "Drakeford resignation: Who will be Wales' next first minister?". BBC News. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  28. 1 2 "Vaughan Gething announces Welsh first minister bid". BBC News. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  29. ↑ Lewis, Gareth (15 December 2023). "Drakeford resignation: Who will be Wales' next first minister?". BBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
  30. 1 2 "The cabinet ministers who are favourites to succeed Mark Drakeford". Wales Online. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  31. ↑ Carter, Chris (10 August 2023). "Drakeford's final act: budget warfare and the search for a successor". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  32. ↑ Aitken, Catriona; Mercer, Rosie (13 December 2023). "First Minister Mark Drakeford stands down as Welsh Labour leader: Minister rules herself out of leadership race". BBC News.
  33. 1 2 Williams, Rhys (20 December 2023). "Welsh Labour leadership: Who's backing who to become the next First Minister?". Caerphilly Observer. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  34. 1 2 "Two more Gwent MPs back Vaughan Gething in Welsh Labour leadership race". South Wales Argus. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  35. ↑ "Community endorses Vaughan Gething". 19 December 2023.
  36. 1 2 3 Mosalski, Ruth; Hayward, Will; Jones, Branwen; Ahmed, Reem (20 December 2023). "Two men who are battling to become Wales' next First Minister". Wales Online. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
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