Vaughan Gething made history on Wednesday by becoming the first Black leader of a government in the U.K. He was elected as the new first minister of Wales, following his victory in the contest to lead Wales’ governing Labour Party. Gething received 27 out of 51 votes in the Senedd, the Welsh parliament in Cardiff, where Labour holds the majority.
He expressed his pride in being a part of modern Wales, but also acknowledged the weighty responsibility that comes with it. He emphasized that he does not take this responsibility lightly.
In expressing his aspirations, he stated his desire to guide a nation that can embrace and rejoice in its diversity, while also finding unity in the things that bring us together.
Once his appointment is approved by King Charles III, Gething will be sworn in. This is just a formality that needs to be completed.
Three out of four U.K. governments currently have leaders of nonwhite backgrounds. The U.K. Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is of Indian heritage, and the Scottish First Minister, Humza Yousaf, was born to a Pakistani family in Britain. In Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly both hold leadership positions, marking a significant milestone as there are no White male heads of government in the country for the first time.
Wales, with a population of approximately 3 million, is one of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom, along with England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While the British government in London oversees defense, foreign affairs, and other matters that pertain to the entire U.K., the administrations in Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast have authority over specific budgetary areas such as education and health.
Vaughan Gething held the position of Wales’ health minister throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and has been serving as the country’s economy minister since 2021.
Taking charge of a government that frequently clashes with Sunak’s Conservative administration in London, he will be assuming a significant role. In addition, Wales has been witnessing a series of farmer-led protests against environmental regulations, mirroring the ongoing unrest in France and other European nations.
Gething’s leadership campaign faced a major setback when it was discovered that he had received £200,000 ($255,000) in donations from a recycling company that had been convicted of environmental offenses and violating health and safety regulations. Gething defended himself by stating that he had properly disclosed these donations in accordance with electoral rules.
