Vaughan Gething announces cabinet reshuffle following minister resignations

Vaughan Gething will widen the scope of some Ministerial roles. Credit: PA Images

Outgoing First Minister Vaughan Gething has announced changes to his Ministerial team following a string of high-profile resignations this week.

Jack Sargeant, MS for Alyn and Deeside, has been brought in to serve as Minister for Social Partnership.

Meanwhile, Jayne Bryant, MS for Newport West, takes over as Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Housing.

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Mr Gething is set to continue to oversee ongoing discussions with TATA around job losses in Port Talbot, but will now work closely with the Cabinet Secretary Ken Skates, who will add Economy to his existing brief of Transport and North Wales.

Vaughan Gething has also confirmed that he will widen the scope of other Ministerial roles.

The new cabinet list is as follows:

  • Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and the Cabinet Office: Rebecca Evans MS

  • Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: Huw Irranca-Davies MS

  • Cabinet Secretary for Education: Lynne Neagle MS

  • Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Housing: Jayne Bryant MS

  • Cabinet Secretary for Health, Social Care and Welsh Language: Eluned Morgan MS

  • Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Transport & North Wales: Ken Skates MS

  • Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: Jane Hutt MS

  • Minister for Social Care: Dawn Bowden MS

  • Minister for Social Partnership: Jack Sargeant MS

  • Minister for Mental Health and Early Years: Sarah Murphy MS

The reshuffle comes as Jeremy Miles, Mick Antoniw, Julie James and Lesley Griffiths all quit their roles in the Welsh Government this week.

All four cited their decisions around a lack of confidence in Vaughan Gething to continue as First Minister.

The First Minister has come under sustained criticism in recent months for his decision to sack former minister Hannah Blythyn, and over a series of rows concerning donations he took while running to be Welsh Labour leader.

This led to the collapse of a co-operation agreement between his party and Plaid Cymru and he subsequently lost a non-binding vote of no confidence in the Senedd.

Vaughan Gething announced he will “begin the process of stepping down as leader of the Welsh Labour Party and, as a result, First Minister” on Tuesday.

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