A WOMAN from Rhyl was shocked when she saw Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething walk past yesterday (May 23), only for him to stop and have a 10-minute chat with her.

Danielle Robinson, 36, said Mr Gething was a “very nice, polite man”, who also stopped to meet her mother and her son.

Gething, who replaced Mark Drakeford as First Minister in March, also visited Llandudno yesterday as he kicked off Welsh Labour’s general election campaign with a speech to the Trade Union Congress.

This followed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirming on Wednesday (May 22) that the 2024 UK general election will take place on July 4.

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Danielle said: “My mum suddenly spotted him through the window, and said: ‘Danielle, the First Minister’s outside!’

“I ran outside and shouted about three times – he obviously looked, because he came back with his entourage!

“He said it was nice to meet me, and explained he was on the campaign trail here. He was very nice; he didn’t have to stop and chat with me for about 10 minutes.”

Danielle said she stressed the need to Mr Gething for more money to be put in to healthcare and teaching.

She herself started a course of chemotherapy at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan last August after being diagnosed with incurable breast cancer.

“I said to him that we do need change here - I explained that my cancer care has been absolutely fantastic, but that we need more money in our hospitals,” Danielle added.

“The people there work so hard, but they’re all so understaffed.

“I said we also need more funding in our schools, given we’ve had so many schools around here worrying about their finances.

“He said he’d do everything in his power to make sure the next generation are looked after.

“I asked for a selfie with him, which he happily said yes to – then my mum came out of the house in her leopard-print slippers!

“He shook her hand, and my son then came to say hello to him, and he shook his hand, as well. I couldn’t fault him in that sense.”

Rhyl will form part of a new constituency – Clwyd North – at the general election, merging with parts of Conwy in doing so.

Its candidates currently standing to be Clwyd North MP are as follows:

  • Conservative - Darren Millar
  • Green - Martyn James Hogg
  • Labour - Gill German  
  • Liberal Democrats - David Wilkins
  • Plaid Cymru - Paul Rowlinson
  • Reform UK - Jamie Orange