List of first ministers of Wales

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The first minister's office is located at Ty Hywel in Cardiff Bay. National Assembly for Wales Cardiff.jpg
The first minister's office is located at Tŷ Hywel in Cardiff Bay.
Alun Michael official portrait.jpg
Rhodri Morgan official portrait (cropped).jpg
Official portrait of First Minister Vaughan Gething 05 (cropped).jpg
Official portrait of Eluned Morgan (cropped).jpg
  • Top left: Alun Michael was the first-ever first minister of Wales.
  • Top right: Rhodri Morgan was the longest-serving first minister of Wales.
  • Bottom left: Vaughan Gething was the first Black first minister of Wales and the shortest-serving first minister.
  • Bottom right: Eluned Morgan, the current first minister and first female first minister.

This is a list of the first ministers of Wales. The role of "First Secretary of Wales" was introduced in 1999 with the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales (now Senedd) following the 1997 referendum. The title of the role was changed to "First Minister of Wales" in October 2000, a change which was recognised in law following the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006. All first ministers to date have also served concurrently as leader of Welsh Labour. [1]

Contents

List of First Ministers of Wales

No.PortraitName

(Birth–Death)Constituency/Title

Term of officePolitical partyElectedGovernment Deputy
1 Alun Michael official portrait.jpg Alun Michael
(born 1943)
AM for Mid and West Wales
As First Secretary
12 May
1999
9 February
2000
273 days Labour [lower-alpha 1] 1999 Michael
Lab (minority)
none
2 Rhodri Morgan official portrait (cropped).jpg Rhodri Morgan
(1939–2017)
AM for Cardiff West
Office renamed First Minister on 16 October 2000
9 February

2000

10 December

2009

9 years, 304 days Labour Interim Morgan
Lab (minority)
none
Morgan I
LabLD
Mike German (LD)
2000–01 and 2002-03

Jenny Randerson
2001–02 (acting)

2003 Morgan II
Lab (minority)
none
2007 Morgan III
Lab (minority)
Morgan IV
LabPlaid
Ieuan Wyn Jones
(Plaid Cymru)
3 Carwyn Jones AM (28092341921) (cropped).jpg Carwyn Jones
(born 1967)
AM for Bridgend
10 December

2009

12 December

2018 [2]

9 years, 2 days Labour Jones I
LabPlaid
2011 Jones II
Lab (minority)
none
2016 Jones III
LabLD - Ind
4 First Minister Mark Drakeford official portrait 2020 (cropped).jpg Mark Drakeford
(born 1954)
MS for Cardiff West
13 December

2018

20 March

2024

5 years, 98 days Labour Drakeford I
LabLD - Ind
none
2021 Drakeford II
Lab (minority)
none
5 Official portrait of First Minister Vaughan Gething 05 (cropped).jpg Vaughan Gething
(born 1974)
MS for Cardiff South and Penarth
20 March

2024

5 August 2024138 days Labour [lower-alpha 1] Gething
Lab (minority)
none
6 Official portrait of Eluned Morgan (cropped).jpg Eluned Morgan
(born 1967)
MS for Mid and West Wales
6 August

2024

Incumbent14 days Labour [lower-alpha 1] Morgan
Lab (minority)
Huw Irranca-Davies
Labour

Timeline

Eluned MorganVaughan GethingMark DrakefordCarwyn JonesRhodri MorganAlun MichaelList of first ministers of Wales

Previous nominations

August 2024

August 2024 Nomination of First Minister
Date:6 August 2024
CandidateVotes
Eluned Morgan
(Labour)
28 / 56
Andrew R.T. Davies
(Conservative)
15 / 56
Rhun ap Iorwerth
(Plaid Cymru)
12 / 56
Abstentions
1 / 56
Source: Senedd [3]

March 2024

March 2024 Nomination of First Minister
Date:20 March 2024
CandidateVotes
Vaughan Gething
(Labour)
27 / 51
Andrew R.T. Davies
(Conservative)
13 / 51
Rhun ap Iorwerth
(Plaid Cymru)
11 / 51
Source: Senedd [4]

2021

On 12 May 2021, Mark Drakeford was the only person nominated for the position (by Rebecca Evans), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister. [5]

2018

2018 Nomination of First Minister
Date:12 December 2018
CandidateVotes
Mark Drakeford
(Labour)
30 / 56
Paul Davies
(Conservative)
12 / 56
Adam Price
(Plaid Cymru)
9 / 56
Abstentions
5 / 56
Source: Senedd [6]

2016

2016 Nomination of First Minister
Date:11 May 2016
CandidateVotes
Carwyn Jones
(Labour)
29 / 58
Leanne Wood [lower-alpha 2]
(Plaid Cymru)
29 / 58
Abstentions
0 / 56
Source: Senedd [8]

2011

On 11 May 2011, Carwyn Jones was the only person nominated for the position (by Janice Gregory), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister. [9]

2009

On 9 December 2009, Carwyn Jones was the only person nominated for the position (by Rhodri Morgan), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister. [10]

2007

On 25 May 2007, Rhodri Morgan was the only person nominated for the position (by Jane Hutt), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister. [11]

2003

On 7 May 2003, Rhodri Morgan was the only person nominated for the position (by Lynne Neagle), and was a subsequently elected as First Minister. [12]

2000

On Wednesday 9 February 2000, following the resignation of Alun Michael, the Assembly cabinet unanimously elected Rhodri Morgan as acting First Secretary. [13] He was elected unopposed as First Secretary by the whole Assembly (after being proposed by Andrew Davies) the following week on Tuesday 15 February. [14]

1999

On 12 May 1999, Alun Michael was the only person nominated for the position (by Rhodri Morgan and seconded by Ann Jones), and was a subsequently elected as First Secretary. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senedd</span> Devolved parliament of Wales

The Senedd, officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and Senedd Cymru in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees to certain taxes, and scrutinises the Welsh Government. It is a bilingual institution, with both Welsh and English being the official languages of its business. From its creation in May 1999 until May 2020, the Senedd was officially known as the National Assembly for Wales and was often simply called the Welsh Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julie Morgan</span> Welsh Labour politician and Member of the Senedd for Cardiff North

Julie Morgan is a Welsh Labour Party politician, who has been a Member of the Senedd for Cardiff North seat in the Senedd since the 2011 election. She was previously Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff North from 1997 until 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Minister of Wales</span> Leader of the Welsh Government

The first minister of Wales is the leader of the Welsh Government and keeper of the Welsh Seal. The first minister chairs the Welsh Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Welsh Government policy. Additional functions of the first minister include promoting and representing Wales in an official capacity, at home and abroad, and responsibility for constitutional affairs, as they relate to devolution and the Welsh Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely</span> First Minister of Wales since 2024

Mair Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely is a Welsh Labour politician who has served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour since 2024. She previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in the Welsh Government from 2021 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Hutt</span> Welsh politician (born 1949)

Jane Elizabeth Hutt is a Welsh Labour politician serving as Welsh Government Chief Whip since 2023, Trefnydd of the Senedd since March 2024 and Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice since July 2024. She has served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for the Vale of Glamorgan since 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carwyn Jones</span> First Minister of Wales from 2009 to 2018

Carwyn Howell Jones is a Welsh politician who served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2009 to 2018. He served as Counsel General for Wales from 2007 to 2009. Jones served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Bridgend from 1999 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff West (Senedd constituency)</span> Constituency of the Senedd

Cardiff West is a constituency of the Senedd. It elects one Member of the Senedd by the first past the post method of election. Also, however, it is one of eight constituencies in the South Wales Central electoral region, which elects four additional members, in addition to eight constituency members, to produce a degree of proportional representation for the region as a whole. The constituency has twice provided the First Minister of Wales, Rhodri Morgan from 2000-2009 and Mark Drakeford from 2018–2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Senedd Commission</span> Corporate body for the Senedd

The Senedd Commission is the corporate body for the Senedd of Wales. The commission is responsible for ensuring the property, staff and services are provided for the Senedd. The commission consists of the Llywydd of the Senedd and four members from different political parties, who each have different portfolios of work. The commission is supported by staff in the Commission and Support Service. Prior to 2020, the body was known as the National Assembly for Wales Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Antoniw</span> Welsh politician (born 1954)

Mick Antoniw is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician, who was Counsel General for Wales from 2021 to 2024, having previously served in the position from 2016 to 2017. He previously served as Minister for the Constitution from 2021 to 2024. He has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Pontypridd since 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaughan Gething</span> First Minister of Wales in 2024

Humphrey Vaughan ap David Gething 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 leader of any European country. Gething previously served as the Minister for Health and Social Services from 2016 to 2021 and Minister for the Economy from 2021 to 2024. He has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Cardiff South and Penarth since 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Miles</span> Welsh politician (born 1971)

Jeremy Miles is a Welsh Labour Co-op politician, who was Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language from March to July 2024. He previously served in the Welsh Government as Counsel General for Wales from 2017 to 2021, Brexit Minister from 2018 to 2021, and the Minister for coordinating Wales’ recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2021. Miles has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Neath since 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Drakeford</span> First Minister of Wales from 2018 to 2024

Mark Drakeford is a Welsh politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on an interim basis since August 2024, having previously held the position from 2013 to 2016. He previously served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2018 to 2024, and as Cabinet Secretary for Finance from 2016 to 2018. He was first elected as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Cardiff West in 2011 and is considered to be on the soft left of Labour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 National Assembly for Wales election</span>

The 2016 National Assembly for Wales election was held on Thursday 5 May 2016, to elect members (AMs) of the National Assembly for Wales, now known as the Senedd. It was the fifth election for the National Assembly, the third election taken under the rules of the Government of Wales Act 2006 and the first since the Wales Act 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hefin David</span> Welsh politician (born 1977)

Hefin Wyn David is a Welsh Labour politician and the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Caerphilly, where he currently lives. Despite the common surname, he is no relation to Wayne David, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the same constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third Jones government</span> Welsh government (2016–2018)

The third Jones government was a Labour–Liberal Democrat coalition government formed after the 2016 general election in Wales. On 14 October 2016, Dafydd Elis-Thomas left Plaid Cymru in order to support the coalition government and to give them a ruling majority; he later sat as an independent in the Senedd. The government was replaced by the Drakeford government on 13 December 2018, following the resignation of Carwyn Jones as First Minister the previous day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Morgan government</span> Welsh government (2000–2003)

The first Morgan government was formed on 16 October 2000 by Rhodri Morgan and a was a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, it was officially referred to as the 'Coalition Partnership'. It was preceded by the Interim Morgan administration, a Labour minority administration headed by Rhodri Morgan between February and October 2000.

First Drakeford government Welsh government (2018–2021)

The First Drakeford government was a Labour-led government formed after the resignation of Carwyn Jones as First Minister of Wales on 12 December 2018, and the subsequent appointment of Mark Drakeford in his place following a leadership contest. The government was also supported by the sole Welsh Liberal Democrat MS Kirsty Williams and the independent MS Dafydd Elis-Thomas. Drakeford's first term as First Minister is known for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clear red water</span> Welsh Labour political strategy

In Welsh politics, the term clear red water refers to the Welsh Labour strategy of distancing itself from the UK Labour Party and adopting both more progressive and more distinctly Welsh policies. The strategy was first formulated in the early 2000s, with the Rhodri Morgan-led Welsh government using it to distinguish itself from Tony Blair's New Labour. The term itself is credited to Mark Drakeford AM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Drakeford government</span> Welsh government (2021–2024)

The second Drakeford government was the Labour-led government formed after the 2021 Senedd Election on 6 May 2021, with Mark Drakeford re-appointed as First Minister without opposition on 12 May 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Whip (Wales)</span> Welsh Government cabinet minister

The Chief Whip is a member of the cabinet in the Welsh Government. The current officeholder is Jane Hutt since May 2023.

References

  1. Allen, Briony (19 January 2024). "Welsh Labour leadership: How will Mark Drakeford be replaced as Wales' first minister?". Institute for Government. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  2. David, Hefin. "We are officially First Minister-less. Diolch yn fawr iawn @AMCarwyn for strong leadership in difficult times". Twitter. Hefin David AM/AC.
  3. "Agenda for Plenary on Tuesday, 6 August 2024, 11.00". business.senedd.wales. 6 August 2024.
  4. "Plenary 20/03/2024". record.assembly.wales. 20 March 2024.
  5. "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 12 May 2021, 15.00". business.senedd.wales. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  6. "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 12 December 2018, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  7. "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 18 May 2016, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  8. "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 11 May 2016, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  9. "Agenda for Plenary - Fourth Assembly on Wednesday, 11 May 2011, 15.00". business.senedd.wales. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  10. "Meeting of Plenary - Third Assembly on Wednesday, 9 December 2009". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  11. "Meeting of Plenary - Third Assembly on Friday, 25 May 2007". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  12. "Meeting of Plenary - Second Assembly on Wednesday, 7 May 2003". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  13. "Meeting of Plenary - First Assembly on Wednesday, 9 February 2000". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  14. "The National Assembly for Wales (The Official Record)" (PDF). National Assembly for Wales. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  15. "Meeting of Plenary - First Assembly on Wednesday, 12 May 1999". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Also a member of the Co-operative Party.
  2. later withdrew on the 18 May 2016 [7]