Davies Shadow Cabinet | |
---|---|
![]() Shadow Cabinet of Wales | |
2018–2021 | |
![]() | |
Date formed | 27 June 2018 |
Date dissolved | 23 January 2021 |
People and organisations | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Leader of the Opposition | Paul Davies |
Member party | |
Status in legislature | Official Opposition 11 / 60 (18%) |
History | |
Legislature term | 5th National Assembly |
Predecessor | Second Shadow Cabinet of Andrew R. T. Davies |
Successor | Third Shadow Cabinet of Andrew R. T. Davies |
Paul Davies became the Leader of the Opposition in Wales after being elected as Leader of the Welsh Conservatives on 27 June 2018 and named his Shadow Cabinet in July.
Between May 2016 and December 2018 the senior tier of ministers were referred to as Cabinet Secretaries and the junior tier as Ministers, from the formation of the first Drakeford government they reverted to their previous titles of Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers respectively and the same applied to Conservative shadow ministers.
The Davies Shadow Cabinet was dissolved upon Paul Davies's resignation on 23 January 2021. The Third Shadow Cabinet of Andrew RT Davies was formed the next day.
Following the resignation of Andrew R. T. Davies in 2018, [1] the Welsh Conservatives leadership election was contested. Nominations opened on 29 June 2018 and candidates needed a total of four nominations from Conservative AMs, including themselves, to stand. AMs Russell George, David Melding, and Darren Millar all declined to stand.
There were two candidates who reached the ballot: Deputy Leader and the then-Interim Leader Paul Davies, and former Shadow Minister for Tourism, Culture and the Welsh Language, Suzy Davies. [2] The South Wales Argus described Paul Davies as having the support of "most of the big hitters in the party" including AMs Darren Millar and Nick Ramsay, former Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Crabb, and the then Chair of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, David Davies. [3] Voting opened on 15 August 2018 and in the outcome, Paul Davies obtained 68.1% of the votes of members. [2] He then immediately became leader of the Opposition, becoming the leader of the second largest party in the Senedd. [2]
Between April 2020 and July 2020 the Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, and Monmouthshire County Council Leader Peter Fox, attended meetings of the Shadow Cabinet to support the response to the Coronavirus outbreak in Wales. [4]
On 18th of September 2018, after Davies was elected to lead the Welsh Conservatives, he appointed his shadow cabinet. [5] He appointed Angela Burns in the role of Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health, Suzy Davies in the role of Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and the Welsh Language, Nick Ramsay was appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Darren Millar as Chief Whip, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs and Foreign Relations, and as policy director for the Welsh Conservatives. [5] Russell George was appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Business, Economy and Infrastructure, as well as Shadow Minister for Mid Wales. Andrew RT Davies was appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs, David Melding as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Heritage, Culture and Media, Mark Isherwood was appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government as well as Shadow Minister for North Wales, Mohammad Asghar was appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Further Education, Skills and Faith, and Janet Finch-Saunders was appointed as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Care, Children, Young People and Older People. [5]
In December 2018, the roles were renamed from Shadow Cabinet Secretary and Shadow Minister to Shadow Minister and Shadow Deputy Minister.
On 16 June 2020, Mohammad Asghar died at age 74. [6] Laura Anne Jones took his place as the third placed candidate on the Conservatives' party list.
On 17 July 2020, Davies reshuffled his Shadow Cabinet. He appointed Andrew RT Davies to the role of Shadow Minister for Health, Social Services & Sport. Laura Anne Jones was appointed to the role of Shadow Minister for Equalities, Children and Young people, Janet Finch-Saunders was appointed as Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Rural Affairs, and Angela Burns, previously Shadow Health Minister, was given responsibility for "government resilience and efficiency". [7]
Nick Ramsay maintained his role as Shadow Finance Minister, as did Russell George as Shadow Minister for Business and Infrastructure, Mark Isherwood as Shadow Minister for Local Government, Housing and Communities, and Suzy Davies role as Shadow Minister for Education and the Welsh Language was expanded to include skills. [7]
In September 2020 David Melding, a moderate and pro-devolution Tory [8] quit his role in the shadow cabinet, Shadow Counsel General & Shadow Minister for Culture & Communications. He made his decision of leaving the front bench permanently after "misgivings for some time" over the party's approach to Brexit, citing his belief that it will lead to the union breaking up. He quit his job the same day as the UK Government introduced in Parliament the Internal Market Bill. [9]
On 19 January 2021, incidents of Paul Davies drinking with other politicians on the Senedd estate in December 2020 were widely reported. It was believed at the time that this could be a breach of Welsh COVID-19 regulations. [10] He apologised on that day, and received the support of the Shadow Cabinet. On 23 January 2021, Davies stood down as Leader of the Welsh Conservatives. Andrew RT Davies was unanimously re-appointed as leader of the Welsh Conservatives, and formed a new Shadow Cabinet the next day. [11] [12]
This article is part of a series within the Politics of the United Kingdom on the |
Politics of Wales |
---|
![]() |
29 June 2018 - 6 September 2018 | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | |
Paul Davies | 68.1 / 100 | |
Suzy Davies | 31.9 / 100 | |
Source: BBC [2] |
Portfolio | Name | Constituency | Term | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leader of the Opposition | ![]() | Paul Davies MS | Preseli Pembrokeshire | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Chief Whip and Shadow Minister for External Affairs & International Relations | ![]() | Darren Millar MS | Clwyd West | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Health | ![]() | Angela Burns MS | Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire | September 2018 - July 2020 | |
Shadow Minister for Finance | ![]() | Nick Ramsay MS | Monmouth | September 2018 – January 2021 [lower-alpha 1] | |
Shadow Minister for Education and the Welsh Language | ![]() | Suzy Davies MS | South Wales West | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Business, Economy and Infrastructure, and Mid Wales | ![]() | Russell George MS | Montgomeryshire | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Further Education, Skills and Faith | ![]() | Mohammad Asghar MS | South Wales East | September 2018 - June 2020 | |
Shadow Minister for Social Care, Children, Young People, and Older People | ![]() | Janet Finch-Saunders MS | Aberconwy | September 2018 - July 2020 | |
Shadow Minister for Environment, Sustainability, and Rural Affairs | ![]() | Andrew R. T. Davies MS | South Wales Central | September 2018 - July 2020 | |
Shadow Minister for Local Government, Housing & Communities, Armed Forces and North Wales | ![]() | Mark Isherwood MS | North Wales | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Housing, Heritage, Culture and Media | ![]() | David Melding | Monmouth | September 2018 - July 2020 | |
On 16 June 2020, Mohammad Asghar died at age 74. [6] Laura Anne Jones took his place as the third placed candidate on the Conservatives' party list.
Portfolio | Name | Constituency | Term | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leader of the Opposition | ![]() | Paul Davies MS | Preseli Pembrokeshire | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Chief Whip and Shadow Minister for External Affairs & International Relations | ![]() | Darren Millar MS | Clwyd West | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Government Resilience & Efficiency | ![]() | Angela Burns MS | Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire | July 2020 - January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Finance | ![]() | Nick Ramsay MS | Monmouth | September 2018 – January 2021 [lower-alpha 2] | |
Shadow Minister for Education, Skills and Welsh Language | ![]() | Suzy Davies MS | South Wales West | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Business, Economy and Infrastructure, and Mid Wales | ![]() | Russell George MS | Montgomeryshire | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Equalities, Children and Young People | ![]() | Laura Anne Jones MS | South Wales East | July 2020 - January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Energy & Rural Affairs | ![]() | Janet Finch-Saunders MS | Aberconwy | July 2020 - January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Health, Social Services & Sport | ![]() | Andrew R. T. Davies MS | South Wales Central | July 2020 - January 2021 | |
Shadow Minister for Local Government, Housing & Communities, Armed Forces and North Wales | ![]() | Mark Isherwood MS | North Wales | September 2018 – January 2021 | |
Shadow Counsel General & Shadow Minister for Culture & Communications | ![]() | David Melding | Monmouth | July 2020 - September 2020 | |
In September 2020, David Melding stood down from the Shadow Cabinet. He made his decision of leaving the front bench permanently after "misgivings for some time" over the party's approach to Brexit, citing his belief that it will lead to the union breaking up. He quit his job the same day as the UK Government introduced in Parliament the Internal Market Bill. [13]
Laura Anne Jones is a Conservative politician who has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for the South Wales East electoral region since July 2020, having previously held the same seat as an Assembly Member (AM) in the National Assembly for Wales between 2003 and 2007. Jones also served as a county councillor for the Wyesham ward in Monmouthshire County Council from 2017 to 2022.
Mark Allan Isherwood is a Welsh Conservative Party politician, who has served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for the North Wales region since 2003. He is currently Shadow Counsel General and Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning. Isherwood has held a number of Shadow Ministerial positions for the Welsh Conservatives since he was first elected, at various points holding portfolios for Finance, Social Justice, North Wales, Europe, Housing, Communities and Local Government, among others. He is also particularly notable for his advocacy for people with both physical and learning disabilities and impairments. He is himself deaf, and chairs cross party groups on disability, deaf issues and Autism, among others.
Jonathan Morgan, is a Welsh Conservative politician, who served as a Conservative Assembly Member (AM) for South Wales Central from 1999 to 2007 and AM for Cardiff North from 2007 to 2011. In the National Assembly elections in 2011 he was beaten by Labour's candidate Julie Morgan, wife of former First Minister Rhodri Morgan. He is currently chair of Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and Chairman of the Welsh NHS Confederation.
David Robert Michael Melding is a former Welsh Conservative Party politician, who served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for South Wales Central between 1999 and 2021. He was the Deputy Presiding Officer of the Senedd between 2011 and 2016 and is the only Conservative member to hold the role.
Nick Ramsay is a British politician who served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Monmouth from 2007 to 2021. Originally a member of the Welsh Conservatives, he served as Shadow Minister of Finance under Conservative Leader in the Senedd, Paul Davies, but lost the position in January 2021 under the new leadership of Andrew RT Davies. Ramsay sat as an Independent member before unsuccessfully seeking reelection as an Independent in the 2021 Senedd election.
The Welsh Conservatives, also known as the Welsh Conservative Party, is the branch of the United Kingdom Conservative Party that operates in Wales. At Westminster elections, it is the second-most popular political party in Wales by vote share, having obtained the second-largest share of the vote at every general election since 1931. In Senedd elections, the Conservatives are currently the second-most supported party but have at times been third. As of 2024, they hold none of the 32 Welsh seats in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and 16 of the 60 seats in the Senedd.
Thomas Alun Rhys Davies is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative party politician serving as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Blaenau Gwent since 2011, and formerly Mid and West Wales from 2007 to 2011. He has served in several Welsh government offices, including Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language, and Minister for Natural Resources and Food.
Andrew Robert Tudor Davies CBE is a Welsh politician serving as Leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the Senedd since 2021, previously holding the position from 2011 to 2018. He has been a Member of the Senedd (MS) since 2007.
Paul Windsor Davies is a British politician who has served as Member of the Senedd (MS) for Preseli Pembrokeshire since 2007. He served as Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Leader of the Opposition in Wales from June 2018 to January 2021, resigning after possible breaches of Welsh COVID-19 rules. He had previously been Deputy Leader from 2011 to 2018 and Acting Leader in 2011 and 2018.
The Welsh Shadow Cabinet is formed from members of the official opposition in the Senedd, the largest party not part of the Welsh Government, to scrutinise ministers in the Welsh Cabinet. It is led by the Leader of the Opposition, who typically appoints members of the Senedd (MSs) from their party as shadow ministers with portfolios which mirror ministerial posts in the Cabinet who scrutinise ministers and can propose their own alternative policies. Other opposition parties in the Senedd also appoint frontbench teams of spokespeople who perform the same function. These are also sometimes styled as "shadow cabinets" by their parties, though unlike the Shadow Cabinet they have no official recognition. Since 2021, the Shadow Cabinet has been formed from members of the Welsh Conservatives led by Andrew RT Davies, who have alternated with Plaid Cymru as the official opposition in the Senedd since its establishment as the National Assembly for Wales in 1999.
Suzy Davies is a Welsh Conservative Party politician, who served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for South Wales West from 2011 to 2021. She was elected first on the Welsh Conservatives party list for the region in the 2011 election.
Russell Ian George is a Welsh Conservative Party politician who has been the Montgomeryshire Member of the Senedd (MS) since the 2011 election.
The 2011 Welsh Conservatives leadership election was held on 14 July 2011. Andrew RT Davies defeated Nick Ramsay, the only other candidate.
The 2018 Welsh Conservatives leadership election was triggered on 27 June by the resignation of Andrew RT Davies.
In the Senedd, the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the Official Opposition, the largest political party that is not in the Welsh Government. The Leader of the Opposition leads and appoints members of the Shadow Cabinet and as such is sometimes styled as the Shadow First Minister of Wales.
Andrew RT Davies became the Leader of the Opposition in Wales on the 24 January 2021 after the resignation of Paul Davies as leader the following day. On 29 March 2021, Nick Ramsay left the Welsh Conservative group, meaning it was no longer the largest party not in government in the Senedd, and therefore no longer the official opposition.
Andrew RT Davies became the Leader of the Opposition in Wales after the 2021 Senedd election, when the Welsh Conservatives became the second largest party in the Senedd, with 16 seats.
Nick Bourne, the leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the National Assembly for Wales, formed his frontbench team of party spokespeople between 18 August and 25 August 1999 after he was elected unopposed to succeed Rod Richards as group leader on 18 August, having already served as acting leader since 11 August. He made a minor reshuffle to his frontbench team in 2000 and made further changes to the team after the 2003 and 2007 National Assembly elections. Bourne's party became the official opposition after the 2007 Welsh government formation in July 2007, with Bourne leading a shadow cabinet as the leader of the opposition.
Nick Bourne became Leader of the Opposition in Wales after the Welsh Conservatives became the largest party that was not a part of the government in the National Assembly for Wales after the 2007 Assembly Elections. This was because the second largest overall party, Plaid Cymru, had entered into government as part of the One Wales coalition with Welsh Labour.
Andrew RT Davies became Leader of the Opposition in July 2011, after he was elected leader of the Welsh Conservatives, which formed the second largest party bloc in the National Assembly for Wales after the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election.