2009 Welsh Labour leadership election

2009 Welsh Labour Party leadership election

← 2000 1 December 2009 2018 →

Candidate Carwyn Jones Edwina Hart Huw Lewis Overall result 52.0% 29.2% 18.8% Affiliated Unions 51.3% 33.9% 14.8% Party members 53.7% 25.3% 21.0% MPs, AMs & MEPs 50.9% 28.3% 20.8%

Leader before election Rhodri Morgan Elected Leader Carwyn Jones

The 2009 Welsh Labour leadership election was held following the resignation of Rhodri Morgan, who stepped down after nine years as First Minister of Wales.^[1] Morgan had made clear his intent to resign in 2009 as far back as 2005.^[2] As Morgan had been elected unopposed in 2000, this was the first contested election for the Welsh Labour leadership for more than a decade.

The contest concluded on 1 December 2009 and was won on the first round by Carwyn Jones who won in all three sections of the ballot.^[3] As Welsh Labour was the senior partner in a Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition government, Jones was confirmed as First Minister the following week and assumed office as First Minister on 10 December 2009. Both Edwina Hart and Huw Lewis served in Jones' governments until their retirement in 2016.

Under Jones, Labour would go on to take office alone as a minority government following the 2011 Assembly election, and retain office following the 2016 Assembly election.

Jones stood down in late 2018, triggering a new election.^[4]