Vaughan Gething announces Welsh first minister bid

One of the two frontrunners in the race to replace Mark Drakeford has announced he is standing.

Vaughan Gething said on social media that he had "strong support from right across the party".

It comes as two senior cabinet ministers announced their backing for Education Minister Jeremy Miles.

Climate Change Minister Julie James and Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths became the first cabinet members to endorse a potential candidate.

Mr Miles is expected to announce his candidacy for the Welsh Labour leadership in the coming days.

Mark Drakeford announced he was quitting as Welsh Labour leader on Wednesday.

In a statement issued on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Gething said his party faced a "huge task ahead of us".

"We can only maintain our record of winning elections and fighting for the people of Wales if we are a united, modern, diverse movement which reflects this nation's ambitions for the future."

He said Wales has a "crucial opportunity to have two Labour governments working side-by-side to deliver real change in our communities and repair the damage wrecked by the toxic Tory years".

"I look forward to a positive leadership contest where I plan to set out an energetic agenda for our country's future."

Meanwhile Mick Antoniw, the Welsh government's counsel general, has ruled himself out of the race.

Born in Zambia and brought up in Dorset, Mr Gething went to university in Aberystwyth and Cardiff.

The former solicitor and ex-president of the Wales TUC was elected to the Senedd in 2011, representing Cardiff South and Penarth.

He came to prominence during the Covid pandemic, when he was Mark Drakeford's health minister. After the 2021 election Mr Drakeford moved him to the economy portfolio.

Jeremy Miles camp is confident the education minister and Senedd member for Neath will have enough nominations to get on the ballot.

Andrew Morgan, leader of the Welsh Local Government Association, announced his backing for Mr Miles on Wednesday night.

In a statement Ms James, who is being discussed as a possible chair for Mr Miles' campaign, paid tribute to Mark Drakeford, "who has led our party and our country through five incredibly tough years".

"I've worked with Jeremy in government since 2017. I know he has what it takes to be a strong, calm, determined and principled Welsh Labour leader and first minister," she said.

As well as being climate change minister with responsibilities for housing, the Swansea West Senedd member was the campaign chair for the Welsh Parliament election in 2021.

Ms Griffiths, who is Member of the Senedd (MS) for Wrexham, added: "You can guarantee that a Welsh Labour government led by Jeremy Miles will listen to voices and concerns here in the north, and make sure the Welsh government works for us all."

Mr Drakeford will stand down in March, with a new first minister likely to be in place before the Welsh Parliament breaks up for Easter.

Candidates need either five other MSs supporting them, or three with a backing of a certain number of local Labour parties, or affiliate organisations including two trade unions.