Eluned Morgan wins leadership bid support but falls short of threshold to stand

The contest to succeed Carwyn Jones as Welsh Labour leader and First Minister has intensified as four Assembly Members have gone public with their support for Eluned Morgan, bringing her tantalisingly close to being able to stand.

However it leaves her one short of the number of nominations she needs to be a candidate leading to anger that there may not be a female candidate in the forthcoming leadership election.

Two of those nominating the Welsh Language and lifelong learning minister had hoped to stand themselves. Fellow government members Huw Irranca-Davies and Alun Davies have withdrawn from the race in order to back her candidature.

They join Dawn Bowden and David Rees in saying they'll nominate Eluned Morgan. She requires the support of five others to be able to stand, leaving her one short. Of the Labour group of AMs, only the First Minister Carwyn Jones hasn't declared support for a candidate. He says he'll remain neutral.

The contest hasn't technically begun yet and won't until Carwyn Jones formally resigns which he's expected to do around the time of next week's Labour party conference.

But there's been some bitterness directed at the campaign of the front-runner, Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford. He now has 15 nominations pledged, more than half the Labour Assembly group.

There has been public and private criticism of that situation with it being suggested that he's 'hoovering up' support in a deliberate attempt to shut down debate, a suggestion he firmly denies.

Vaughan Gething, the Health Secretary, has the required five nominations and had urged fellow AMs to ensure a female candidate was on the ballot paper.

Eluned Morgan has been considered the only credible woman candidate but she's struggled to get the nominations needed. Her supporters believed she had the required amount and were preparing to launch their campaign officially this week.

That changed however when environment minister Hannah Blythyn announced that she was supporting Mark Drakeford, followed by Jack Sargeant.

Angry supporters of Eluned Morgan feel there's been a concerted effort to prevent her standing and the likelihood of a contest without a woman candidate has been roundly criticised by Labour members and activists on social media.

In their statement, the four AMs say they won't necessarily vote for Eluned Morgan in the election itself but that they believe there should be a diverse set of candidates.

Welsh government minister Huw Irranca-Davies had hoped to stand himself. He's explained why he's withdrawn from the contest and why he's backing Eluned Morgan in the following statement.

Withdrawing his bid to be a candidate, Alun Davies said he believes Eluned Morgan was the 'best qualified person to take key decisions and lead Wales through challenges such as Brexit.

Under Labour's leadership election rules the only way now that Eluned Morgan can qualify to be a candidate is if a Drakeford supporter switches to nominate her or if Carwyn Jones nominates her in the interests of ensuring a diverse set of candidates. He's previously said there should be a female candidate.

If that doesn't happen it now seems that there won't be a woman in the running to replace him as Welsh Labour leader and First Minister.