“I really am ready to lead” says Gething branding leadership contest an “opportunity to renew”

Vaughan Gething has said the winner of the First Minister election will have “had to win a contest within their own party, unlike Prime Minister”.

The comments came amid a wide ranging set of questions from Wrexham.com to the candidate during a visit to North Wales.

The impending election is an internal ballot with Labour members, and some Union members who pay the political levy, but the outcome will affect everyone in Wales.

Speaking to some Labour members earlier in the week Wrexham.com related what appeared to be an almost indifferent attitude, with defining lines hard to find between the candidates.

Mr Gething rejected that, stating, “I think the fact that I’ve got significant experience, not just across government, but within the pandemic, I’ve had to take on responsibility at a really significant leadership level.

“I think that does set me apart as the candidate who can face up to the really big challenges that we all face.

“It’s a really pivotal year, not just with a general election on the horizon, but the challenge of renewing our relationship with the public as well.

“I think I really am ready to lead.

“I have spoken about vision and values. I made a choice about what to do in my life. I really have been a trade union activist, and not just like card carrying member, it’s part of what my life has been about – standing up for people through the world of work.

“I chose to do that here in Wales. I will be setting more out about what an optimistic vision for the future looks like. Today we’re talking about housing, accelerating, how we deliver homes, making sure that everyone has a decent place to call home.

We asked if he would be an iteration of Mark Drakeford or if there were fresh ideas and new directions.

“There is always an opportunity to renew in a leadership contest, the relation between the leader and the party, and Welsh Labour and the country. You will see things where there is continuity, and you also see renewal and opportunities to look at the future.

Speaking of the pandemic he added, “I’ve got all that experience in, and experience gained, in the most difficult of times. There were there were no easy answers at that time. But together with Mark, I was part of making those choices for the whole country. I think that experience of difficult choices stands me in good stead to understand the difficulty we face now, but also have a sense of optimism for the future.”

The First Minister election is firstly an internal Welsh Labour poll. Wider recent polls indicate Labour could make significant gains in Westminster. We asked about the process and if there should be greater transparency in candidate selections and voting processes in all parties as often the outcomes can shape leadership – and even governments.

Mr Gething replied, “What will happen is every member of the Welsh Labour family get a vote. So actually, there’s quite a wide electorate in this context, and I’m very pleased to have a widespread support.

“We will have interviews, like this, across the country, there will be a series of hustings – a the number which will be broadcast. There will be debates in public as well.

“Once a choice is made, the Senedd will need to elect a First Minister.

“So the person who comes to this will have the benefit of having had to win a contest within their own party, unlike Prime Minister Sunak, and they will then have to face the Senedd, and then to try to do the job for Wales.

“I’m interested in winning this contest for Wales, and Welsh Labour.

“I think those two things are not incompatible. It’s why we have been so successful in the last 20 odd years. I look forward to facing the public media campaign in Wales for the General Election, and then a Senedd election in two years time”.

Vaughan Gething is up against Jeremy Miles to become the new First Minister of Wales. Voting is due to begin on the 16th February with a new leader announced on 16th March. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌​‌‌‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‌​​