Vaughan Gething Makes History as First Black Leader of the Welsh Government
The political landscape of Wales took a significant turn on Saturday as Vaughan Gething emerged victorious in the Welsh Labour Party leadership contest. This milestone makes Gething the first Black leader of any semi-autonomous government in Europe. In his acceptance speech after the results were announced, he acknowledged the historical significance of this achievement:
“Today, we embark on a new chapter in our nation’s history. This is not just a personal milestone for me, but rather a generational leap forward. Devolution, the principle of Welsh self-rule and problem-solving, has always been an integral part of who I am.”
Born in Zambia, Gething will succeed Mark Drakeford, who announced his departure as the first minister of Wales after five years in this role. The Welsh government, responsible for managing devolved areas like health and education, will formally elect Gething as the new leader on March 20 following Drakeford’s resignation on March 19.
Keir Starmer, leader of Britain’s Labour Party, released a statement congratulating Gething on his win. He expressed optimism about collaborating with him for the upcoming election cycle:
“On behalf of the entire UK Labour Party, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Vaughan Gething on his election as the new leader of the Welsh Government. We eagerly anticipate working together in this new chapter for Wales, with the goal of delivering Labour governments across Britain.”
Rishi Sunak, Conservative British Prime Minister, also congratulated Gething on his win and expressed his commitment to cooperative relations between their respective governments.