First Minister of Wales

First Minister of Wales
source
Post	First Minister
Body	Wales
Native name	Prif Weinidog Cymru
Insigniasize	120
Insigniacaption	Royal Badge of Wales
Flagsize	120
Flagcaption	Flag of Wales
Incumbent	Vaughan Gething
Incumbentsince	20 March 2024
Department	Welsh Government
Style	First Minister, (informal), The Right Honourable, (within the UK and Commonwealth)
Member of	Welsh Government, Senedd Cymru, British–Irish Council
Reports to	Senedd
Residence	No official residence
Seat	Tŷ Hywel, Cardiff Bay
Nominator	Senedd
Appointer	Monarch
Appointer qualified	on the nomination of the Senedd
Termlength	At His Majesty's pleasure, subject to Senedd confidence
Formation	12 May 1999
First	Alun Michael, (as First Secretary), Rhodri Morgan, (as First Minister)
Deputy	Minister for the Economy
Salary	£151,500

First Minister of Wales. The First Minister of Wales is the leader of the Welsh Government, the devolved administration for Wales. The office holder is typically the leader of the largest party in the Senedd and is responsible for appointing Cabinet ministers, setting government policy, and representing Wales on domestic and international stages. The position was established following the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the inaugural 1999 Welsh devolution referendum.

Role and responsibilities

The First Minister chairs the Cabinet of Wales and has ultimate responsibility for the strategic direction and policy programme of the Welsh Government. Key duties include promoting and representing Wales, for instance at meetings of the British–Irish Council and in engagements with the UK Government in Whitehall. The office holder oversees the implementation of Welsh law and manages the government's relationship with the Senedd, being accountable to Members of the Senedd during weekly First Minister's Questions. The First Minister also plays a central role in the Welsh Government's fiscal negotiations, notably during the Spending Review process with HM Treasury.

Appointment and term

Following a Senedd election, the Senedd nominates a member, who is then formally appointed by the monarch. The nominee must usually command the confidence of a majority of Members of the Senedd, often achieved through a coalition government or a minority government agreement. The term of office is at His Majesty's pleasure but is dependent on maintaining the confidence of the Senedd, as demonstrated by the ability to pass key legislation like the annual Budget. A First Minister may resign, as Carwyn Jones did in 2018, or be replaced following a loss of confidence or a change in the governing party's leadership, such as the transition from Mark Drakeford to Vaughan Gething.

List of First Ministers

The first person to hold the office, then titled First Secretary for Wales, was Alun Michael, appointed in 1999. He was succeeded by Rhodri Morgan, under whom the title changed to First Minister following the Government of Wales Act 2006. Morgan served for nearly a decade, overseeing the establishment of the Welsh Assembly Government. He was followed by Carwyn Jones, who led the Welsh Labour administration through the 2011 Welsh devolution referendum and the passage of the Wales Act 2014. Mark Drakeford succeeded Jones in 2018, leading the government during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales and the subsequent Cost of living crisis in the United Kingdom. The current incumbent, Vaughan Gething, assumed office in March 2024.

Official residence and office

There is no official residence for the First Minister. The primary office and working headquarters are located in Tŷ Hywel, adjacent to the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay. Key government meetings of the Cabinet of Wales are often held in Cathays Park at the Welsh Government building. The First Minister also regularly works from other government offices across Wales, including in Aberystwyth and Llandudno Junction.

Relationship with the Senedd and Welsh Government

The First Minister is accountable to the Senedd, delivering statements and answering questions from Members of the Senedd in the Senedd chamber. The office holder appoints Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers, subject to the approval of the Senedd, and allocates portfolios as outlined in the Welsh Ministerial Code. The relationship is defined by the Government of Wales Act 2006, which enshrines the principle of separation between the Welsh Government as the executive and the Senedd as the legislature. The First Minister works closely with the Llywydd of the Senedd on parliamentary business and with the Counsel General for Wales on matters of Welsh law.

History and development of the office

The office originated with the creation of the National Assembly for Wales after the 1999 Welsh devolution referendum, established by the Government of Wales Act 1998. Initially titled First Secretary, the role was renamed First Minister by the Government of Wales Act 2006, which formally created a separate Welsh Government executive. The powers of the office expanded significantly following the 2011 Welsh devolution referendum, which granted the Senedd primary law-making powers. Further devolution of fiscal powers occurred through the Wales Act 2014 and the Wales Act 2017, which established the Welsh Revenue Authority and cemented the devolution settlement. The institution was renamed the Senedd in 2020, reflecting its enhanced legislative status.