Vaughan Gething | |
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.jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |
| First Minister of Wales | |
| In office 20 March 2024 – 5 August 2024 | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
| Preceded by | Mark Drakeford |
| Succeeded by | Eluned Morgan |
| Leader of Welsh Labour | |
| In office 16 March 2024 – 24 July 2024 | |
| Deputy | Carolyn Harris |
| Preceded by | Mark Drakeford |
| Succeeded by | Eluned Morgan |
| Minister for the Economy | |
| In office 13 May 2021 – 20 March 2024 | |
| First Minister | Mark Drakeford |
| Preceded by | Ken Skates |
| Succeeded by | Jeremy Miles |
| Minister for Health and Social Services | |
| In office 19 May 2016 – 13 May 2021 | |
| First Minister | Carwyn Jones Mark Drakeford |
| Preceded by | Mark Drakeford |
| Succeeded by | Eluned Morgan |
| Deputy Minister for Health | |
| In office 11 September 2014 – 19 May 2016[1] | |
| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Minister | Mark Drakeford |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Rebecca Evans |
| Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty | |
| In office 26 June 2013[2] – 11 September 2014 | |
| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Minister | Jeffrey Cuthbert |
| Member of the Senedd for Cardiff South and Penarth | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Lorraine Barrett |
| Majority | 10,606 (29.2%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 March 1974[3] Lusaka, Zambia[4] |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Political party | Labour and Co-operative |
| Spouse | Michelle Gething |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Aberystwyth University University of Cardiff |
| Occupation | Solicitor, trade unionist |
| Signature |  |
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Humphrey Vaughan ap David Gething (born 15 March 1974)[3] is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative Party politician who served as First Minister of Wales from March to August 2024, and served as leader of Welsh Labour from March to July 2024, making him the first black[5] leader of any European country.[6][7] He has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Cardiff South and Penarth since 2011.
Gething was born in Zambia to a Welsh father and Zambian mother. He moved to Britain as a child and studied law at Aberystwyth University and Cardiff Law School, at the University of Cardiff. He trained as a solicitor with Cardiff-based firm Thompsons and subsequently specialised in employment law. Gething joined the Labour Party when he was 17 and contested Mid and West Wales for Labour in the inaugural elections to the National Assembly for Wales in 1999. He later represented Butetown electoral ward on Cardiff Council from 2004 to 2008.
Gething was elected to the Senedd at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election, representing the Cardiff South and Penarth constituency. He was re-elected at the 2016 election and was subsequently appointed Minister for Health and Social Services in Mark Drakeford's government. His tenure notably included the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales. Gething subsequently served as Minister for the Economy from 2021 to 2024. Following Drakeford's resignation, he defeated Jeremy Miles in the Welsh Labour leadership election to become his successor in the party leadership and as First Minister of Wales.
Gething was sworn in as First Minister in March 2024. Less than two months into his term of office, allegations were raised that he had perjured himself at a COVID-19 inquiry by falsely denying that he had deleted text messages from his phone. In response, Plaid Cymru withdrew from its co-operation agreement with Labour and supported a non-confidence motion introduced by the Welsh Conservatives, which passed by two votes. Gething initially refused to resign, sparking a government crisis, but following a mass resignation of cabinet ministers in July 2024 announced that he would leave office. Eluned Morgan was elected unopposed as his successor and he formally resigned as First Minister in August 2024, making him the shortest-serving holder of the office.[8]
- ^ "Lib Dem Williams named in new cabinet". BBC News. 19 May 2016. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ "Lewis named as education minister". BBC News. 26 June 2013. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Vaughan Gething to become Wales' first black leader". BBC News. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ^ Davies, Daniel (9 November 2018). "Welsh Labour's mystery runners?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ Gething is referred to as "black" in multiple sources.
- "UK has its first Black government leader as Vaughan Gething is elected first minister of Wales". AP News. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- Deb, Sopan (21 March 2024). "Vaughan Gething of Wales Is Europe's First Black Head of Government". The New York Times.
- "Wales' election of its first Black leader means no White man runs a U.K. government for the first time ever - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- Morris, Steven (16 March 2024). "Who is Vaughan Gething, the new Welsh Labour leader?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- "Vaughan Gething to become Wales' first black leader". BBC News. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ "Who is Vaughan Gething, Wales' next first minister?". BBC News. 16 March 2024. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
- ^ The following sources describes Gething to lead a "country".
- Morris, Steven (16 March 2024). "Vaughan Gething to become Welsh first minister after Labour leadership win". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- "Vaughan Gething to Become First Black Leader of European Country". Bloomberg.com. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- Farrell, James. "Who Is Vaughan Gething? What To Know About Europe's First Black Government Leader". Forbes. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- "Vaughan Gething to become next first minister of Wales after winning Welsh Labour leadership race". Sky News. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- Hazell, Will (16 March 2024). "Vaughan Gething to become Welsh First Minister and Europe's first black leader". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- "Vaughan Gething: What does his win mean for representation?". BBC News. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- "Vaughan Gething wins Welsh Labour leadership contest". www.ft.com. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- ^ Gething, Vaughan (5 August 2024). "I have today written to His Majesty The King to tender my resignation as Prif Weinidog. It has been an honour to serve the people of Wales. The decency, generosity and creative spirit that defines our nation is, and will continue to be, our greatest strength. Diolch o galon". X (formerly Twitter).