Who could replace Drakeford as Welsh Labour leader? Ex-health chief Vaughan Gething – who admitted not reading pandemic wargame report – failed MP candidate Jeremy Miles, and Baroness Morgan – once the youngest MEP – are among the contenders

Mark Drakeford’s departure has left a vacancy at the top of Welsh Labour – and the Welsh government.

The starting gun has now been fired on a leadership contest, with Mr Drakeford suggesting that a replacement should be chosen by Easter.

Keir Starmer will be keeping close tabs on the contest, with the relationship between him and whoever takes over likely to be crucial in the run-up to the general election.

But who could be in the running for the top job in Welsh Labour?

VAUGHAN GETHING  

The MS for Cardiff South and Penarth, Zambia-born Mr Gething is currently the economy minister.

But his most-high profile role so far was as health minister between 2016 and 2021 – including the pandemic, when he was often on TV for the Welsh government’s briefings.

The MS for Cardiff South and Penarth, Zambia-born Vaughan Gething is currently the economy minister 

However, he received mixed reviews for his performances, and has also been blamed in some quarters for the woes of the NHS in Wales. 

Mr Gething had a torrid time appearing at the Covid Inquiry earlier this year, when he admitted not reading the 2016 Operation Cygnus report on wargaming of a potential pandemic. He insisted it was not his responsibility because the document was from NHS England. 

The 49-year-old, married to Michelle with whom he has one son, previously stood unsuccessfully against Mr Drakeford in the 2018 leadership contest. 

His father, a Welsh vet, married a Zambian woman and they settled in Dorset. Mr Gething studied at Aberystwyth and Cardiff universities before becoming a solicitor and entering the Senedd in 2011.

JEREMY MILES 

Education minister Mr Miles has come to be seen as one of the favourites to succeed Mr Drakeford.

The Oxford-educated lawyer is a native Welsh speaker who was brought up near Swansea, and had senior jobs including with ITV before entering politics.

However, his initial forays into the political arena were aimed at Westminster – and not successful.

Education minister Mr Miles has come to be seen as one of the favourites to succeed Mr Drakeford

Mr Miles, who is gay, was defeated when he ran for Labour in true-blue Beaconsfield in 2010. And he lost out on the selection for the safe seat of Aberavon in 2014 to Stephen Kinnock.

He eventually became the MS for Neath in 2016, and has held various briefs including Minister for European Transition. 

BARONESS ELUNED MORGAN 

Another veteran of the 2018 leadership contest, Baroness Morgan looks likely to throw her hat into the ring again this time. 

The current health minister, the mother-of-two has been MS for Mid and West Wales since 2016.

Another veteran of the 2018 leadership contest, Baroness Morgan is seen as likely to throw her hat into the ring again this time

When Lady Morgan was elected as an MEP in 1994 she was aged just 27 – making her the youngest in the European Parliament.   

She served two terms before being handed a peerage under Ed Miliband’s Labour leadership, become shadow minister for Wales and a shadow foreign minister.

Lady Morgan led for Labour on the EU Referendum Bill in the Upper House.

She previously said she would her peerage if she became First Minister. 

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