1998 Welsh Labour leadership election
![]() | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
|
The 1998 Welsh Labour Party leadership election was held on 19 September 1998. Secretary of State for Wales Ron Davies was elected as Welsh Labour Leader and nominee for First Secretary.[1]
Candidates
- Ron Davies, Member of Parliament for Caerphilly since 1983 and Secretary of State for Wales since May 1997.
- Rhodri Morgan, Member of Parliament for Cardiff West since 1987, backbencher, Chair of Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee since May 1997.
Result
Ron Davies won with 68% of the vote, winning all three sections of Welsh Labour's electoral college formed from the party's Welsh MPs, MEPs approved assembly candidates, the trade unions and the party's members.[2]
In his memoirs, Rhodri Morgan wrote:
- "[The Welsh MPs] went heavily for Ron, although I kept majority among the approved panel of Assembly candidates down to 32-22. Of the candidates subsequently elected to the Assembly it was 4-4. The unions went for Ron, even my own union the T&G. The party members' vote split much more evenly, but I didn't maintain the early success I'd had in Aberavon and Swansea [CLPs], although I did get a majority of the constituency nominations."[3]
Aftermath
Davies would go on to serve until his resignation just over a month later on 29 October 1998, two days after resigning as Secretary of State for Wales on 27 October 1998. He stood down citing "an error of judgement" in agreeing to go for what he said was a meal with a man he had met while walking on Clapham Common in London, which is a well-known gay meeting place. He was mugged at knifepoint. The full details of the incident (which he infamously called a "moment of madness" at the urging of Tony Blair's Press Secretary Alastair Campbell) have never emerged.[4]
Morgan went on to fight the next leadership election only to loose to Alun Michael, Morgan himself would go on to be elected unopposed in the third leadership election in three years in February 2000, a position he would hold until December 2009.
References
- ^ "Davies beats off backbench challenge". BBC News.
- ^ "Davies beats off backbench challenge". BBC News.
- ^ Morgan, Rhodri (2017). A political life in Wales and Westminster. University of Wales Press. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-78683-147-7.
- ^ "My 'moment of madness'". BBC News. 31 October 1998. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2007.
- v
- t
- e
- Labour Party
- Political parties in Wales
- in the United Kingdom
- Ron Davies (Sep 1998–Oct 1998)
- Alun Michael (1999–2000)
- Rhodri Morgan (2000–2009)
- Carwyn Jones (2009–2018)
- Mark Drakeford (2018–2024)
- Vaughan Gething (Mar 2024–Jul 2024)
- Eluned Morgan (2024–present)
- Carolyn Harris (2018–present)
- Cliff Prothero (1947)
- Emrys Jones (1965)
- Hubert Morgan (1979)
- Anita Gale (1984)
- Jessica Morden (1999)
- Chris Roberts (2005)
- David Hagendyk (2010)
- Louise Magee (2017)
- Jo McIntyre (2022)
- Mick Antoniw
- Hannah Blythyn
- Dawn Bowden
- Jayne Bryant
- Hefin David
- Alun Davies
- Mark Drakeford
- Rebecca Evans
- Vaughan Gething
- John Griffiths
- Lesley Griffiths
- Mike Hedges
- Vikki Howells
- Jane Hutt
- Huw Irranca-Davies
- Julie James
- Jeremy Miles
- Eluned Morgan (leader)
- Julie Morgan
- Sarah Murphy
- Lynne Neagle
- Rhianon Passmore
- Jenny Rathbone
- David Rees
- Jack Sargeant
- Ken Skates
- Carolyn Thomas
- Lee Waters
- Joyce Watson
- Buffy Williams
- Tonia Antoniazzi
- Kevin Brennan
- Chris Bryant
- Wayne David
- Geraint Davies
- Alex Davies-Jones
- Stephen Doughty
- Chris Elmore
- Chris Evans
- Nia Griffith
- Carolyn Harris
- Gerald Jones
- Ruth Jones
- Stephen Kinnock
- Anna McMorrin
- Jessica Morden
- Nick Smith
- Jo Stevens
- Mark Tami
- Nick Thomas-Symonds
- Beth Winter
- Christina Rees (suspended)
- Welsh Executive Committee
- Welsh Labour Students
- Welsh Young Labour
- History
- Clear red water
Factions |
|
---|
- Michael (1999–2000)
- Interim Rhodri Morgan (2000)
- First Rhodri Morgan (2000–2003)
- Second Rhodri Morgan (2003–2007)
- Third Rhodri Morgan (2007–2007)
- Fourth Rhodri Morgan (2007–2009; Coalition under One Wales with Plaid Cymru)
- First Jones (2009–2011; Coalition under One Wales with Plaid Cymru)
- Second Jones (2011–2016)
- Third Jones (2016–2018)
- First Drakeford (2018–2021)
- Second Drakeford (2021–2024; agreement with Plaid Cymru)
- Gething (2024)
- Eluned Morgan (2024–present)
Category