UNIONS and politicians united to congratulate Vaughan Gething on his successful bid to become Welsh Labour leader at the weekend and the first black leader of a European nation.
Mr Gething beat rival Jeremy Miles by the narrow margin with 51.7 per cent of the vote.
He said: “Today, we turn a page in the book of our nation’s history.
“Not just because I have the honour of becoming the first black leader in any European country, but because the generational dial has jumped too.”
UK Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “His appointment as first minister of Wales, the first black leader in the UK, will be a historic moment that speaks to the progress and values of modern-day Wales.”
Mark Drakeford will resign as first minister tomorrow and the Senedd will elect a new first minister on Wednesday. Mr Gething will become the first non-Welsh speaker in the post.
Mr Drakeford congratulated his successor and said: “He will provide the next generation of leadership for the party and I look forward to campaigning with him to deliver a UK Labour government.”
Unison Cymru/Wales called on the new leader to prioritise a national care service and protect the NHS from privatisation.
Regional secretary Jess Turner said: “Public-sector workers are still suffering from the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.
“They need more money in their pockets, better working conditions and a Labour leader who will fight for fair funding for Wales.”
Left MP for the Cynon Valley Beth Winter said the new leader needs to fight for more powers and more funding for Wales.
“Mr Gething’s inbox is already overflowing with the unanswered questions of 40 years of deindustrialisation, a decade and more of austerity, and a devolution settlement which is not working for Wales,” Ms Winter said.
Welsh Labour Grassroots secretary Zoe Allan said: “We need him to gain the confidence of the membership and the electorate.
“Without an overwhelming mandate, he will need to actively seek a breadth of views, while having the courage to maintain the ‘clear red water’ between Welsh Labour and Westminster-centred Labour.”
But Mr Gething’s celebrations were short-lived as the row about the £200,000 donation he received from a company whose boss has twice been sentenced for environmental offences refused to go away.
Co-operation Agreement partner Plaid Cymru’s leader Rhun ap Iorwerth called on Mr Gething to pay the money back.
“It was a matter of deep concern that we now have an incoming first minister who, before even taking up the highest public office, is facing serious allegations and questions about his judgment,” Mr ap Iorwerth said.
