Vaughan Gething: Five things for Wales' next first minister to do

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Vaughan Gething is set to take on the biggest job in Welsh politics this week, and will have a full in-tray.

Mr Gething beat Jeremy Miles to narrowly win the Welsh Labour leadership election with 51.7% of the vote.

But what is likely to be at the top of his agenda?

At the very top of Mr Gething’s list will be appointing a cabinet this week.

He’ll have to consider how many of his supporters to reward and how many of Jeremy Miles’ to bring on board.

And a decision will have to be made over what job to offer Mr Miles.

Then there’s Plaid Cymru. Welsh Labour has a co-operation agreement with the party that covers issues such as free school meals, council tax reform, second home measures and Senedd reform.

But Plaid has been critical of Mr Gething’s campaign donations and is under pressure from some in the party to end the agreement – which runs out at the end of the year.

Labour holds just 30 of the 60 Senedd seats, so without Plaid, Mr Gething will have to cut some deals.

There will also be matters hanging over from outgoing first minister Mark Drakeford’s time in office.

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Mr Gething will have to pacify farmers who have protested against subsidy reform.

And he must decide whether or not to push ahead with fiercely opposed changes to school holidays.

The NHS accounts for more than half the Welsh government’s budget and is facing big problems.

Waiting lists are slowly coming down, but still contain more than half a million people.

Consultants and junior doctors are taking industrial action over pay and conditions.

Mr Gething has acknowledged more funding is needed, but has not committed to paying doctors more.

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He had been hoping for more money from this month’s UK government’s budget. But what came had already been factored into spending.

He may need to find a new health minister too.

Eluned Morgan said of her position last month: “It’s a very tough gig… let’s just see what happens.”

Cash for public services is tight.

The Welsh government claims it does not get enough from Westminster, and what they’ve had has been eroded by inflation.

The Conservatives accuse the Welsh government of having its spending priorities wrong.

Whatever the arguments, the public is feeling the squeeze – council tax, for example, is going up while services such as bin collections are being reduced.

Even if Labour win the general election, Sir Keir Starmer has warned spending won’t rocket.

And the longer Labour is in power at Westminster, the harder it will be for the new first minister to blame the UK government for Wales’ money problems.

Mr Gething’s manifesto makes it clear he views HS2 as an England-only project.

It is designated an “England and Wales” scheme by the Treasury which has meant it has not triggered extra money for Wales.

The challenge for Mr Gething will be to persuade a UK Labour government to give Wales its share of HS2 funding.

Although Mr Gething has ruled out an M4 relief road around Newport, there will be a review of the guidance councils get on implementing 20mph speed limits.

Some will hope that could make it easier for councils to change limits back to 30mph.

Mr Gething may also be considering more leniency on criteria for major new road schemes in Wales.

He has said the Welsh government must “listen and not lecture”.

An otherwise quiet campaign has been dominated by a £200,000 donation made to Mr Gething by a company owned by a man with convictions for dumping illegal waste.

Dauson Environmental Group needs Welsh government permission to build a solar farm on the Gwent Levels.

Mr Gething has said the donations had been declared in line with the rules and that he won’t be involved in the solar farm decision.

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But the question persists over how appropriate it was to take the money.

It has caused disquiet within Labour, and the opposition has ammunition against Mr Gething.

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