Getty ImagesWelsh Conservatives in the Seanad are expected to elect Darren Miller as their new leader later today, after all his colleagues backed him for the job.
Miller has promised to unite a party that was divided over the leadership of Andrew RT Davis.
Other potential rivals ruled themselves out and favored Chief Whip and Clwyd West. Member of the Seanad (MS) during Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
Davis resigned Tuesday. After months of pressure on his party’s direction, and his social media activity.
Davis called a confidence vote on Tuesday which he won, but only narrowly. He said that it was unbearable for him to continue.
Miller was first elected in 2007. A pro-secession politician, he grew up in Towyn, Conwy, and is the most senior Conservative in the group of 16 apart from Andrew RT Davies.
Miller is a prominent Tory spokesman in the Welsh media, but has not been chosen for the role before.
The fact that no rival candidate has emerged means that there will be no party membership vote.
If confirmed, the Tory chief whip will become the third Welsh political leader to be elected unopposed in two years. Alvind Morgan for Labour In the summer and Rhun ap Iorwerth for Plaid Cymru In 2023
All have promised to unite party groups in the Seanad who have been at loggerheads over the leadership.
There will be no members’ ballot as there are no competing candidates.
Tory’s anxiety peaked last week when a group of MS raised concerns at a meeting with Davis.
Davis has said he will step down as frontbench spokesman if he does not resign – prompting him to call a confidence vote.
Some members of the Conservative Seanad were concerned about the party’s direction under Davis and his social media output on X.
Davies’ comments about halal meat at a school, which were disputed by the school’s local authority, were accused of “race-baiting”. A Muslim group.
Another tweet showed him asking constituents at an agricultural show if they thought Sinead should be scrapped. Some Tories worriedwho officially support the transition.
Davis’s supporters argued that he had tried to deal with the threat of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, while opponents were concerned that the party was not trying to broaden its support.
It all comes as a Senate voting intention poll at the weekend showed the Tories in fourth place, behind Plaid, Reform and Labour. The next election is in May 2026.
On Wednesday, the outgoing Welsh Conservative leader said there had been a “conspiracy” going on long before April.
This was contradicted by Peter Fox, one of the seven MS who voted against it.
“A number of things have happened in recent months that many of us are beginning to feel uneasy about,” he said.
Miller said he wanted to carry on Davies’ legacy and “hold the Welsh Government back to account – that should be our focus.”
Under the rules that require three other MS to support a candidate, a rival candidacy is impossible unless someone switches support.
Grassroots Newport Tory Hugh Davies said it was “very disappointing” that Conservative members would not be able to elect a new group leader.
“There are many issues that need to be addressed, and this will leave the new leader without a mandate,” he said.
Nominations close on Thursday at 17:00 GMT.