Vaughan Gething has been announced as the winner of the Welsh Labour leadership election
The outgoing first minister, Mark Drakeford, will step down from the post next week
In his acceptance speech, Vaughan Gething says he will be the "first black leader in any European country"
Vaughan Gething, Wales' economy minister and a former solicitor, was born in Zambia and raised in England before studying in Wales
Gething ran against Wales' Education Minister Jeremy Miles, also a solicitor, who was born and brought up in the mining town of Pontarddulais
Gething was health minister between 2016 and May 2021, and oversaw Wales' initial response to Covid
BBC Wales has seen figures that show the result was very close.
They show Vaughan Gething got 51.7% of the vote, versus 48.3% for Jeremy Miles.
Welsh Labour never shares how many members it has, so all we have are percentages.
Vaughan Gething has spoken in his acceptance speech of how will be the "first black leader in any European country".
He said he wanted to "use this moment as a starting point for a more confident march into the future".
"We'll be there, fighting tooth and nail for the impossible to happen. For the underdog, for the oppressed," he said.
"Yma o Hyd is no longer enough," he said, referring to the Dafydd Iwan protest song, which translates to "still here".
"We have always been here, we always will be here. The question for us today is 'beth nesa?' What is next?"
"Can we answer the call to the generation in waiting to deliver the Wales that they want".
In his acceptance speech after being voted as the new Welsh Labour leader, Vaughan Gething praised his predecessor Mark Drakeford.
"He was the right leader at the right time in the pandemic," Gething said.
"It's true we will be forever in his debt for his forensic approach to public policy through that time."
He also praised his rival Jeremy Miles for giving a "new hope" to Welsh boys and girls "who might have otherwise have thought very differently about public life here".
Mr Gething added: "Today, we turn a page in the book of our nation's history."
Vaughan Gething is set to be next first minister of Wales and the first black man to lead the country after winning the Welsh Labour leadership contest.
Chris Mason
Political editor
The candidates have filed in to polite applause — the result is imminent.
The outgoing First Minister Mark Drakeford has been praised for his ‘integrity and compassion’ leading Wales through the pandemic.
He has received a standing ovation and sustained applause.
Gareth Lewis
Political Editor, BBC Wales
This is a who’s who of Welsh Labour in Cardiff, here awaiting the result.
From current Members of the Senedd, to former First Minister Carwyn Jones and shadow Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, to the candidates themselves.
They passed through the university lobby at this very futuristic venue about half an hour ago smiling, but relatively quiet.
There’s at least one Wales rugby jersey with a nod to the other big event later.
All are now gathered in a lecture hall waiting for the result.
The broadcast has begun, we’re just minutes away from finding out who will replace Mark Drakeford.
Either Gething or Miles are about to become Welsh Labour leader and later the first minister of Wales.
You can watch live by clicking the play button at the top of the page and we’ll update you as soon as the winner is announced.
Vaughan Gething and Jeremy Miles both hope to become the next first minister
Whether it's Vaughan Gething or Jeremy Miles that secures the Welsh Labour leadership shortly, history is set to be made.
If Miles were to win, he would become Wales’ first gay leader when nominated as first minister next week.
He previously said he used to "wonder if there was a place in the world for someone like me" while growing up in a working-class family in a mining community.
While Gething, who was born in Zambia to a Welsh father and Zambian mother, would become Wales’ first black first minister.
He was also the first black person to become a cabinet minister in any of the UK's devolved governments.
Labour Party members in Wales or organisations affiliated with Labour were able to vote for the party's new leader.
We don’t know exactly how many people are Welsh Labour members, but sources estimate it’s about 16,000.
About 100,000 people are thought to have an affiliate vote, but only a small percentage of those were expected to take part.
They had between 16 February and 14 March to vote by post or online.
Image source, Getty ImagesEconomy Minister Vaughan Gething ran to be Labour leader back in 2018, when he came second to Drakeford.
Born in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, to a Welsh father and Zambian mother, Gething moved to Britain aged two and was raised in England before studying in Wales.
He was president of both the National Union of Students Wales and the Wales TUC trade union before being elected to the Senedd in 2011.
He was Wales’ health minister during the Covid-19 pandemic.
If he wins, he will be Wales’ first black leader.
Click here to read more.
Image source, Getty ImagesFirst-language Welsh speaker Jeremy Miles is Wales’ education minister, a role he has held since 2021.
He was brought up in Pontarddulais and attended Ysgol Ystalyfera in the 1980s alongside many children whose fathers were part of the miners’ strike.
He has previously served as Wales’ counsel general and Brexit minister.
If he is successful, he will be Wales’ first gay leader.
Click here to read more.
Image source, Getty ImagesCarwyn Jones served as Wales' first minister from 2009 to 2018
Since powers including education, health, social services and local government were transferred in 1999, four men have led Wales.
Today's winner is set to be the fifth, following Alun Michael, Rhodri Morgan, Carwyn Jones and Mark Drakeford.
All previous leaders have been from the Welsh Labour party.
Officially, no, but unofficially, yes.
After Drakeford officially resigns – which is expected to be on Tuesday – the winner of the contest is set to be nominated in the Senedd the following day.
If the opposition parties – the Welsh Conservatives, Plaid Cymru or one Liberal Democrat MS – nominate someone else, there could be a roll-call vote.
Labour holds half the seats in Cardiff Bay, meaning it’s unlikely to have any difficulty ensuring its new leader becomes the first minister.
Mark Drakeford: Wales' first minister announces his resignation
Drakeford announced his resignation in December, after more than five years as first minister.
The timing of the announcement came as a shock to many, but he had previously stated that he intended to step down before the next Senedd election.
Speaking to BBC Wales at the time he said the looming prospect of a UK general election had been "much in my mind".
"I think it is better, in Wales, that people know the person who will look to work alongside Keir Starmer," added.
Good morning and welcome to our coverage of the announcement of the new leader of Welsh Labour.
The winner is almost certain to replace Mark Drakeford as Wales’ first minister when he officially stands down next week.
But will it be Jeremy Miles or Vaughan Gething?
We’re expecting to bring you the result shortly after 10:00 and will have plenty of analysis and reaction.