Eluned Morgan: Who is the first minister candidate?

Is the self-proclaimed "disruptor" poised to become the next First Minister of Wales?

Eluned Morgan is set to make history as the first female leader of Welsh Labour, after her second bid for the position.

The situation now is completely opposite from her previous campaign, which had a hard time getting started.

In the past, a lack of backing from other Labour officials nearly prevented her from being included on the ballot.

After six years, and following Vaughan Gething's unsuccessful leadership stint, potential competitors are withdrawing their bids and supporting her instead.

"Small But Mighty Disruptor"

If she is victorious, it will mark the peak of her political journey that began at a young age and has led her to serve in three different parliaments.

In her last election bid, she described herself as a "bit of a troublemaker" - though it should be noted that she has been involved in politics for the majority of her career.

She grew up in a political environment in Ely, Cardiff. Her dad, Bob, was a vicar who also served as the head of South Glamorgan council. Her mom, Elaine, was also a council member.

Their house was described as the main hub for political events in the western part of Cardiff, according to her statement.

Future prime ministers Rhodri Morgan and Mark Drakeford were part of their political group.

Broadcaster Becomes Baroness

She went to Ysgol Glantaf in Cardiff for her education, and later received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Atlantic College in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Following her graduation from Hull University, she gained experience working in the television industry before making history as the youngest member of the European Parliament, being elected at the age of 27 in 1994.

In her official bio, it is noted that she was just the fifth woman from Wales to serve as a full-time politician and the first from the country to give birth while in office.

After stepping down as a Member of the European Parliament in 2009, she took up a position at the energy company SSE.

Given a title of nobility in 2011, she became a member of the House of Lords. There, she served as Baroness Morgan of Ely and held the position of opposition spokesperson for Wales.

In 2016, she made a switch from the parliament in Westminster to the one in Cardiff Bay, which was then known as the assembly. She was elected to represent the Mid and West Wales region.

She was able to start her first leadership campaign with the help of the current first minister Carwyn Jones, who nominated her.

Huw Irranca-Davies, a rare Labour politician who supported her at that time, is now her partner in the upcoming race.

Morgan finished in third place behind the winner Drakeford and second-place Gething.

Drakeford chose her to be part of his government, and later promoted her to the most challenging position in the cabinet – health minister – in 2021.

She was left with the challenging aftermath of Covid and rising wait times.

During her tenure, there have been protests by workers and a bitter choice to place the struggling health board in north Wales back into special measures.

Trying to manage the NHS with limited funds would be extremely difficult, she stated in 2022.

It was a typically straightforward evaluation from someone who is recognized for being honest in her communication.

Baroness Morgan expressed disapproval of Downing Street's management of the pandemic during a session of the UK Covid-19 inquiry in Cardiff.

The Covid investigation showed that she messaged co-workers about the Omicron variant, saying: "We're all screwed!"

She said sorry for using strong language, mentioning that it's not something you would expect from a vicar's daughter. Her husband, Rhys Jenkins, is also a priest and a doctor. They have two kids together.

In June 2022, she was issued a six-month driving ban for speeding multiple times, prompting another apology. The following year, she apologized once more for making a joke about the late Margaret Thatcher during a Conservative reshuffle.

After previously running for the highest position, she could have easily been anticipated to join the race to replace Drakeford. However, she chose to support her former competitor Gething instead.

When asked if she wanted to continue working in the health position under a new FM, she responded to ITV Wales, saying, "I'm not sure. It's a really difficult job, I must admit."

Even though there were indications that she wanted something different, Gething kept her on as health secretary. She supported him when he faced criticism as leader.

She could be close to securing a new job soon.

If she is successful, taking on the role of first minister and bringing together Welsh Labour after a challenging few months will be an even more daunting challenge than her current responsibilities.