Mark Drakeford

Mark Drakeford (born 19 September 1954) is a Welsh former politician who served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2018 to 2024. He also served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance from 2016 to 2018 and again from 2024 to 2026, as well as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care from 2013 to 2016, and on an interim basis in 2024. He served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Cardiff West in 2011 until 2026, when he stood down. He is considered to be on the soft left of Labour. Drakeford was born in Carmarthen in West Wales. He studied Latin at the University of Kent and the University of Exeter. He was a lecturer at the University College of Swansea from 1991 to 1995 and at Cardiff University from 1995 to 1999. He was a professor of Social Policy and Applied Social Sciences at Cardiff University from 2003 to 2013. Drakeford was elected at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election for Cardiff West. In 2013, First Minister Carwyn Jones appointed Drakeford to the Welsh Government as Minister for Health and Social Services. He served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance from 2016 to 2018 and as Minister for Brexit from 2017 to 2018. In 2018, he was elected to succeed Jones as Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister. He led the Welsh Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2021 Senedd election, Drakeford led Welsh Labour to win 30 seats, a working majority, and was reappointed as First Minister. Drakeford resigned as Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister in March 2024 and was succeeded by his Health Minister Vaughan Gething. Drakeford spent the duration of Gething's premiership on the backbenches before making a return to government as Cabinet Secretary for Health...