2009 Welsh Labour leadership election explained

Election Name:2009 Welsh Labour Party leadership election
Country:Wales
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Year:2000
Next Year:2018
Election Date:1 December 2009
1Blank:Overall result
2Blank:Affiliated Unions
3Blank:Party members
4Blank:MPs, AMs & MEPs
Candidate1:Carwyn Jones
Colour1:DC241f
1Data1:52.0%
2Data1:51.3%
3Data1:53.7%
4Data1:50.9%
Candidate2:Edwina Hart
Colour2:DC241f
1Data2:29.2%
2Data2:33.9%
3Data2:25.3%
4Data2:28.3%
Candidate3:Huw Lewis
Colour3:DC241f
1Data3:18.8%
2Data3:14.8%
3Data3:21.0%
4Data3:20.8%
Leader
Before Election:Rhodri Morgan
After Election:Carwyn Jones

The 2009 Welsh Labour leadership election was held following the resignation of Rhodri Morgan, who stepped down after nine years as First Minister of Wales.[1] Morgan had made clear his intent to resign in 2009 as far back as 2005.[2] As Morgan had been elected unopposed in 2000, this was the first contested election for the Welsh Labour leadership for more than a decade.

The contest concluded on 1 December 2009 and was won on the first round by Carwyn Jones who won in all three sections of the ballot.[3] As Welsh Labour was the senior partner in a Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition government, Jones was confirmed as First Minister the following week and assumed office as First Minister on 10 December 2009. Both Edwina Hart and Huw Lewis served in Jones' governments until their retirement in 2016.

Under Jones, Labour would go on to take office alone as a minority government following the 2011 Assembly election, and retain office following the 2016 Assembly election.

Jones stood down in late 2018, triggering a new election.[4]

Voting system

The election was conducted under an Electoral College system in which Labour Party members, affiliated trade union members and Welsh Labour elected officials all held an equal share of the votes.[5]

Candidates

To stand, candidates needed the support of a minimum of six[6] [7] (out of a possible 24) including themselves of Labour's Assembly Members.

Three candidates - Counsel General Carwyn Jones, Health Minister Edwina Hart and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney AM Huw Lewis - entered the race.[7]

The following were reported as endorsements by the BBC at the close on nominations on 22 October 2009:[8]

CandidatePortraitConstituency and OfficeAM EndorsementsMP EndorsementsUnion Endorsements CLP Endorsements
Edwina HartGower
Minister for Health and Social Services
Rosemary Butler, Christine Chapman, Jeff Cuthbert, Andrew Davies, Edwina Hart, Janice Gregory, Jane Hutt, Val Lloyd, Sandy Mewies, and Gwenda ThomasPaul Murphy, Don Touhig and Martin CatonUnite, CWU, Aslef, Community, Socialist Health Association, TSSABrecon and Radnorshire, Gower, Neath, Swansea East, Swansea West and Vale of Glamorgan
Carwyn JonesBridgend
Counsel General for Wales
Leighton Andrews (Campaign Manager), Lorraine Barrett, Jane Davidson, Alun Davies, Brian Gibbons, John Griffiths, Lesley Griffiths, Carwyn Jones and Carl SargeantNick Ainger, Kevin Brennan, Chris Bryant, Ann Clwyd, Paul Flynn, Hywel Francis, David Hanson, Huw Irranca-Davies, Ian Lucas, Madeleine Moon, Albert Owen, Chris Ruane, Mark Tami and Betty WilliamsUnison, NUM (South Wales), Ucatt, Musicians' UnionAberavon, Alyn and Deeside, Bridgend, Ogmore, Wrexham
Huw LewisMerthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
Backbencher
Irene James, Ann Jones, Huw Lewis, Lynne Neagle, Karen Sinclair, Joyce WatsonNia Griffith, Dai Havard, Sian James, Martyn Jones, Jessica MordenCo-operative PartyAberconwy, Clwyd West, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Torfaen

Derek Vaughan MEP supported Carwyn Jones.[8]

Results

Candidate
Affiliated
members
(33.3%)
Individual
members
(33.3%)
Elected
members
(33.3%)
Total
Carwyn Jones AM51.3%53.7%50.9%52.0%
Edwina Hart AM33.9%25.3%28.3%29.2%
Huw Lewis AM14.8%21.0%20.8%18.8%

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Morgan is stepping down as leader . .
  2. Web site: Morgan plans to step down in 2009 . .
  3. Web site: Carwyn Jones clinches leadership in Wales . 2009-12-01 . 1 December 2009 . WalesOnline .
  4. Web site: Carwyn Jones to quit as first minister after the 'darkest of times'. 21 April 2018. www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. Web site: Welsh Party Leadership Elections 1998-2016 . Tom Quinn, Senior Lecturer in Government, University of Essex . 6 September 2017 . 9 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160309102947/http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~tquinn/welsh_parties.htm . dead .
  6. Web site: Welsh Labour announces leadership election timetable. North Wales. Live. 3 October 2009. North Wales Live.
  7. Web site: Two join race to succeed Morgan. 2 October 2009. news.bbc.co.uk.
  8. Web site: Deadline for leadership backers. 22 October 2009. news.bbc.co.uk.