Eluned Morgan government explained

Cabinet Name:Eluned Morgan government
Previous:Gething government
Legislature Term:6th Senedd
Opposition Leader:Andrew RT Davies
Opposition Cabinet:Fourth Shadow Cabinet of Andrew RT Davies
Cabinet Number:13th
State Head:Charles III
State Head Title:Monarch
Government Head:Eluned Morgan
Government Head Title:First Minister
Deputy Government Head:Huw Irranca-Davies
Date Formed:6 August 2024
Incumbent:2024–present
Flag Border:true
Flag:Flag of Wales 2.svg
Jurisdiction:Wales
Cabinet Type:devolved administration

The Eluned Morgan government is the government of Wales formed by Eluned Morgan from August 2024, following her appointment as First Minister of Wales on 6 August. Morgan first formed an interim government largely continuing the previous Gething government, then announced a fuller reshuffle in September 2024.

In her interim cabinet she maintained many of the roles and roleholders from the previous Gething government. With the few changes being that she appointed former First Minister Mark Drakeford as her successor to her former role as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, a role he himself held between 2013 and 2016, and designated Elisabeth Jones as Counsel General-designate.

On 11 September 2024, Morgan announced her cabinet reshuffle. Jeremy Miles and Julie James returned to cabinet following their resignations under Gething, and as health cabinet secretary and Counsel General-designate respectively, with the latter replacing Jones. While Vikki Howells was given a junior role for the first time. All the other members of the cabinet had their roles amended or switched but remained in government, with Huw Irranca-Davies and Lynne Neagle retaining their former roles entirely.

In addition to her cabinet appointments, Morgan also appointed former MP Kevin Brennan as her leading special adviser in August.

History

Eluned Morgan was nominated and appointed to succeed Vaughan Gething as first minister of Wales on 6 August 2024. Later that day, she announced the appointment of Huw Irranca-Davies as her deputy first minister.[1] This was the first time a deputy first minister had been appointed to the Welsh Government since Ieuan Wyn Jones in 2007.[2]

Morgan announced the rest of her cabinet on 7 August. Her first cabinet was appointed to serve on an interim basis, with most members of her government retaining the same posts they had in the previous Gething government. Changes included the appointment of former first minister Mark Drakeford as the interim cabinet secretary for health and social care, succeeding Morgan as the previous officeholder, as well as Elisabeth Jones as the counsel general-designate to act as the counsel general for Wales for an interim period.[3] Morgan retained her previous responsibility for the Welsh language.[4] The cabinet will remain in place for an interim period until September 2024, when a full cabinet reshuffle "following a listening exercise over the summer with the Welsh public" is planned.[5] [6] [7]

In addition to her cabinet, Morgan also appointed former MP Kevin Brennan, who had served as former first minister Rhodri Morgan's chief of staff, as her leading special adviser.[8] [9]

September reshuffle

On 11 September 2024, Morgan reshuffled her cabinet. She appointed Jeremy Miles as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, and Mark Drakeford as Cabinet Secretary for Finance, while Ken Skates lost his role as Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, while retaining his roles as Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Minister for North Wales. She designated Julie James as Counsel General, alongside appointing her Minister for Delivery. She also appointed Vikki Howells as Minister for Further and Higher Education, and added Culture and Skills to Jack Sargeant's portfolios, alongside Social Partnership.[10] [11] Julie James was formally appointed as Counsel General by approval of the Senedd on 17 September 2024.[12]

Alongside these changes, a number of ministers were retained in their prior positions.

Cabinets

August–September 2024

Cabinet Secretaries

PortfolioNameConstituencyPartyTerm
First Minister of WalesThe Baroness Morgan of Ely MSMid & West WalesLabourAugust 2024 –
Deputy First Minister of Wales
Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Huw Irranca-Davies MSOgmoreLabourAugust 2024 –
Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Cabinet OfficeRebecca Evans MSGowerLabour2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government, and PlanningJayne Bryant MSNewport WestLabour2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social CareMark Drakeford MSCardiff WestLabourAugust 2024–
Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Transport and North WalesKen Skates MSClwyd SouthLabour2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Social Justice, Trefnydd (House Leader) and Chief WhipJane Hutt MSVale of GlamorganLabour2024–
Cabinet Secretary for EducationLynne Neagle MSTorfaenLabour2024–

Ministers

PortfolioNameConstituencyPartyTerm
Minister for Mental Health and Early YearsSarah Murphy MSBridgendLabour2024–
Minister for Social CareDawn Bowden MSMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLabour2024–
Minister for Social PartnershipJack Sargeant MSAlyn and DeesideLabour2024–
Counsel General DesignateElisabeth JonesN/AN/AAugust 2024–

Other appointments

September 2024–

On 11 September 2024, Morgan announced changes to her cabinet and the new cabinet is as follows:[13]

Cabinet Secretaries

PortfolioNameConstituencyPartyTerm
First Minister of WalesThe Baroness Morgan of ElyMSMid & West WalesLabourAugust 2024–
Deputy First Minister of WalesCabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural AffairsHuw Irranca-DaviesMSOgmoreLabourAugust 2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh LanguageMark Drakeford MSCardiff WestLabourSeptember 2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and PlanningRebecca Evans MSGowerLabourSeptember 2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Housing, and Local GovernmentJayne Bryant MSNewport WestLabourSeptember 2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social CareJeremy Miles MSNeathLabourSeptember 2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North WalesKen Skates MSClwyd SouthLabourSeptember 2024–
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd (House Leader) and Chief WhipJane Hutt MSVale of GlamorganLabourSeptember 2024–
Cabinet Secretary for EducationLynne Neagle MSTorfaenLabour2024–

Ministers

PortfolioNameConstituencyPartyTerm
Minister for Mental Health and WellbeingSarah Murphy MSBridgendLabourSeptember 2024–
Minister for Children and Social CareDawn Bowden MSMerthyr Tydfil and RhymneyLabourSeptember 2024–
Minister for Culture, Skills and Social PartnershipJack Sargeant MSAlyn and DeesideLabourSeptember 2024–
Minister for Further and Higher EducationVikki Howells MSCynon ValleyLabourSeptember 2024–
Counsel General and Minister for DeliveryJulie JamesSwansea WestLabourSeptember 2024–

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Frampton . Ben . Grey . Jack . Pigott . Paul . 6 August 2024 . Live Reporting: Reaction as Eluned Morgan confirmed as Wales' first minister . 6 August 2024 . BBC News.
  2. News: 6 August 2024 . 'To the young women watching today, you need to know your potential is limitless' – more from new First Minister . 6 August 2024 . Wrexham.com.
  3. News: Evans . Tomos . 7 August 2024 . Mark Drakeford appointed new Welsh health secretary after Eluned Morgan becomes first minister . 7 August 2024 . Sky News.
  4. News: Haines . Chris . 7 August 2024 . Mark Drakeford makes shock return as Wales health secretary . 7 August 2024 . Nation.Cymru.
  5. News: Browne . Adrian . 7 August 2024 . Drakeford back in government as health secretary . 7 August 2024 . BBC News.
  6. Web site: Morgan . Eluned . 7 August 2024 . Written Statement: Cabinet Appointments . 7 August 2024 . GOV.WALES.
  7. News: 7 August 2024 . Mark Drakeford named as Wales health secretary in First Minister Eluned Morgan's cabinet . 7 August 2024 . ITV News.
  8. News: Bloom . Dan . 6 August 2024 . And still the rioting goes on . 6 August 2024 . Politico.
  9. News: Shipton . Martin . 25 July 2024 . Former MP Kevin Brennan to be top adviser to First Minister Eluned Morgan . 6 August 2024 . Nation.Cymru.
  10. Web site: Haines . Chris . 2024-09-11 . Two former ministers return to government as Eluned Morgan completes first reshuffle . 2024-09-11 . Nation.Cymru . en-GB.
  11. Web site: Welsh first minister begins cabinet reshuffle . . 11 September 2024 . 11 September 2024 . David . Deans . Gareth . Lewis.
  12. Web site: 2024-09-17 . Plenary 17/09/2024 . 2024-10-09 . senedd.wales.
  13. Web site: 2024-09-11 . Welsh government reshuffle: Miles back as minister after ousting Gething . 2024-09-11 . BBC News . en-GB.