Eluned Morgan considering running as Vaughan Gething's successor

Health Secretary Eluned Morgan is “giving serious consideration” to standing to replace Vaughan Gething as Wales’ first minister.

Welsh Labour has confirmed it will elect Mr Gething’s successor by mid September after the first minister quit on Tuesday when three ministers and his chief legal adviser all resigned following months of interparty disputes.

Ms Morgan said she was looking at a “unity ticket” with fellow Senedd cabinet member Huw Irranca-Davies running as her deputy.

Jeremy Miles, who lost out to Mr Gething in spring’s leadership contest, said Ms Morgan was “best placed to take the country and party forward”.

Ms Morgan told BBC Politics Wales she had “a considerable amount of support” across Labour but would not be drawn on whether she has the required six nominations to get on the ballot paper.

The party’s politicians in the Senedd have until noon on Wednesday to decide who they are backing.

Ms Morgan said she hoped to confirm her bid in “the next few hours or days”.

She said she had “considerable amount of support… from the different sections of the Labour party,” adding “you don’t need to belong to any particular faction” to support her.

“If I were to stand, then I would be standing on a ticket along with Huw Irranca-Davies, who was a Jeremy Miles supporter, so it would be a unity ticket.

“This is something that we are testing. There’s been a huge groundswell of support within the party for that idea.

“People want to look to the future. They want to look to the next election and they want us to refocus of delivering for the people of Wales.”

Mr Miles had initially been expected to run after BBC Wales was told he had the support of enough of his colleagues to secure his place on the ballot paper.

However, supporters of Mr Gething claimed Mr Miles would not be able to unite the Labour Party in the Senedd.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Mr Miles said he had been “really grateful to so many people for the encouragement to stand in this election”.

He added: “I have always put the interests of our country and party first. And I am absolutely certain that Eluned is best placed to take the country and party forward.

“Her leadership would enable us all to move forward, united in delivering the vision of the Welsh Labour government.”