Vaughan Gething facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vaughan Gething
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Official portrait, 2024
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| First Minister of Wales | |
| In office 20 March 2024 – 5 August 2024 |
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| Monarch | Charles III |
| Preceded by | Mark Drakeford |
| Succeeded by | Eluned Morgan |
| Leader of Welsh Labour | |
| In office 16 March 2024 – 24 July 2024 |
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| Deputy | Carolyn Harris |
| Preceded by | Mark Drakeford |
| Succeeded by | Eluned Morgan |
| Minister for the Economy | |
| In office 13 May 2021 – 20 March 2024 |
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| First Minister | Mark Drakeford |
| Preceded by | Ken Skates |
| Succeeded by | Jeremy Miles |
| Minister for Health and Social Services | |
| In office 19 May 2016 – 13 May 2021 |
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| First Minister | Carwyn Jones Mark Drakeford |
| Preceded by | Mark Drakeford |
| Succeeded by | Eluned Morgan |
| Deputy Minister for Health | |
| In office 11 September 2014 – 19 May 2016 |
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| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Minister | Mark Drakeford |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Rebecca Evans |
| Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty | |
| In office 26 June 2013 – 11 September 2014 |
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| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Minister | Jeffrey Cuthbert |
| Member of the Senedd for Cardiff South and Penarth |
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| Assumed office 6 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Lorraine Barrett |
| Majority | 10,606 (29.2%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 March 1974 Lusaka, Zambia |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Political party | Labour and Co-operative |
| Spouse | Michelle Gething |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Aberystwyth University University of Cardiff |
| Occupation | Solicitor, trade unionist |
| Signature |  |
Vaughan Gething was the First Minister of Wales from March to August 2024. He was also the leader of Welsh Labour during this time. He made history as the first black leader of any European country.
Since 2011, he has been a Member of the Senedd (MS) for Cardiff South and Penarth. Gething was born in Zambia and moved to Britain as a child. He studied law at Aberystwyth University and Cardiff Law School.
Before becoming a politician, he worked as a solicitor, focusing on employment law. He joined the Labour Party when he was 17. He was a local councillor in Cardiff from 2004 to 2008.
Gething became a Member of the Senedd in 2011. He served as Minister for Health and Social Services from 2016 to 2021. This period included the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales. Later, he was the Minister for the Economy from 2021 to 2024.
In 2024, he won the Welsh Labour leadership election. This made him the new First Minister of Wales. He resigned in August 2024, becoming the shortest-serving First Minister.
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Early Life and Education
Vaughan Gething was born in Zambia on 15 March 1974. His father was a white Welsh veterinarian. His mother was a black Zambian chicken farmer. Gething describes his father as a "white Welsh economic migrant."
When he was two, his family moved to Abergavenny in Wales. His family, including three brothers and a sister, faced racism there. An employer withdrew a job offer to his father after seeing his family.
His father later found work in England, where Gething grew up. He went to Beaminster Comprehensive and Sixth Form.
Gething then studied Law at Aberystwyth University, graduating in 1999. He also attended the University of Cardiff Law School. During his studies, he became President of Aberystwyth University Students' Union. He was also the first black president of the National Union of Students Wales.
Professional Career
After finishing his training, Gething became a solicitor in 2001. He worked for the trade union firm Thompsons in Cardiff. He chose to focus on employment law. In 2007, he became a partner at Thompsons.
In 2008, at 34, Gething became the youngest President of Wales TUC. He was also the first black person to hold this role.
Political Journey
Gething joined the Labour Party when he was 17. He wanted to help with the 1992 UK general election campaign. In 1999, he ran for Labour in the first elections for the National Assembly for Wales. However, he was not elected then.
From 2004 to 2008, he served as a councillor on Cardiff Council. He represented the Butetown electoral ward.
Becoming a Member of the Senedd
In the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election, Gething was chosen as the Welsh Labour candidate. He ran for the Cardiff South and Penarth seat in the Senedd. He won the election on 5 May 2011. He increased the Labour vote and had a strong majority. He was re-elected in the 2016 election.
After the 2016 election, First Minister Carwyn Jones gave Gething a role in the Welsh Cabinet. He was named Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport.
In 2018, Gething was one of three people running to be the leader of Welsh Labour. He was defeated by Mark Drakeford. Drakeford then re-appointed Gething as Health Minister. The position was renamed Minister for Health and Social Services.
In 2021, Gething became the new Minister for the Economy. He took over from Ken Skates.
Minister for Health During COVID-19
Gething was the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
In March 2020, he faced calls to postpone a rugby union match. This was despite a rise in COVID-19 cases. The match between Wales and Scotland was eventually cancelled. Gething explained that medical advice did not change, but the rest of the sports world decided to postpone events.
He was questioned at the COVID-19 Inquiry in July 2023. He admitted he had not read a report on Exercise Cygnus. This was a practice exercise for a flu pandemic.
First Minister of Wales (2024)
Labour Leadership Election
In December 2023, Gething became one of two candidates for the Welsh Labour leadership election. This election was to choose the new party leader and First Minister.
On 16 March, Gething won the election with 51.7% of the votes. This made him the leader of Welsh Labour.
Appointment as First Minister
The Senedd officially nominated Gething as First Minister on 20 March 2024. He presented his cabinet the next day. He became the first black First Minister of Wales. He was also the first black leader of any European country.
He was appointed to the Privy Council on 28 March 2024. This means he can use the title "The Right Honourable" for life.
Government Crisis and Resignation
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During an inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic, Gething said he had not deleted messages from his phone. However, text messages from a Welsh Government group chat were later found. In these messages, he had written about deleting messages.
Gething denied that he had done anything wrong. A few days later, he removed Hannah Blythyn from her role as Minister for Social Partnership. He said she was the one who shared the text messages. She denied this.
On 17 May, Plaid Cymru ended its agreement to work with Welsh Labour. On 5 June, Gething faced a non-confidence motion (a vote to show he no longer had support). He lost this vote by 29 votes to 27.
Gething first refused to resign. But on 16 July, several cabinet ministers stepped down from their roles. An hour later, Gething announced he would resign. His resignation became official on 5 August. Eluned Morgan was chosen as his successor. This made Gething the shortest-serving First Minister of Wales.
Personal Life
Vaughan Gething and his wife Michelle live in Penarth. They have one son. He has lived in Penarth since 2011.
He is a member of several trade unions. These include GMB, UNISON, and Unite.
Images for kids
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Vaughan Gething's signature
See also
In Spanish: Vaughan Gething para niños
