Vaughan Gething won the Welsh Labour Party leadership contest on Saturday, and is set to become the first Black leader of Wales’ semi-autonomous government.

Gething, who is currently Welsh economy minister, narrowly beat Education Minister Jeremy Miles in a race to replace First Minister Mark Drakeford. Drakeford announced late last year he would step down once a replacement was chosen.

Gething, 50, won 51.7% of the votes cast by members of the party and affiliated trade unions, and Miles 48.3%.

Once he is confirmed next week by the Welsh parliament, the Senedd, where Labour is the largest party, Gething will become the fifth first minister since Wales’ national legislature was established in 1999.

  • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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    4 months ago

    You wrote this

    Until people of all <skin colour/disability/gender/etc.> are represented fairly, then yes, it is a big deal. Do you know how many black people live in Europe?

    Wales seems to be 0.8% black. What would fair representation look like here?

    • Worx@lemmynsfw.com
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      4 months ago

      In the words that you quoted, I am taking about the whole of Europe. One black leader for the whole of Europe over the history of Europe is pathetic. The statistic for Welsh population is actually irrelevant in this context.

      However, as a Welsh person (and not an overt racist), I am happy to have a black person representing us. As a country to have suffered extreme colonialisation in the past, it’s good to have someone who says he is learning Welsh and wants to help Welsh speakers, and someone who says he wants to try to mitigate the damage Conservatives have done to our country.

      • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        In the words that you quoted, I am taking about the whole of Europe. One black leader for the whole of Europe over the history of Europe is pathetic.

        How is it pathetic? There haven’t been that many black people in Europe historically. I’m really confused by your idea of representation.

        The statistic for Welsh population is actually irrelevant in this context.

        It’s relevant when talking about fair representation.