Eluned Morgan has announced she will stand in the contest to succeed Vaughan Gething, having crossed the nominations threshold to make the ballot for the leadership election this morning.
The Welsh health minister had achieved the required number of nominations before she had even entered the race to become Wales’ new First Minister.
Morgan also won the endorsement of the previously presumed frontrunner Jeremy Miles – who narrowly lost to Gething earlier this year.
The BBC has reported that candidates will need either the support of five other Members of the Senedd (MS), or a combination of two MSs and some Constituency Labour Parties (CLP) or affiliate organisations.
Apart from Miles, other MSs backing Morgan are Jack Sargeant, Mick Antoniw, Huw Irranca-Davies, Joyce Watson, Mike Hedges, Dawn Bowden, Vikki Howells and Hefin David – totalling nearly double the number required to make the ballot.
READ MORE: Wales to have new First Minister by September as leadership race takes shape
It was earlier reported that Morgan was considering a “unity ticket” with Rural Affairs Secretary Huw Irranca Davies before she declared her candidacy.
This will be the second Welsh Labour leadership election this year following the close contest that saw Vaughan Gething become leader and First Minister in March.
He announced he would be standing down amid mounting scandals and ministerial resignations, which is set to make him the shortest serving Welsh First Minister to date.
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