Vikki Howells | |
---|---|
![]() Official portrait, 2024 | |
Minister for Further and Higher Education | |
Assumed office 11 September 2024 | |
First Minister | Eluned Morgan |
Preceded by | Office established |
Member of the Senedd for Cynon Valley | |
Assumed office 6 May 2016 | |
Preceded by | Christine Chapman |
Majority | 7,468 (36.4%) |
Personal details | |
Citizenship | United Kingdom |
Nationality | Welsh |
Political party | Welsh Labour |
Education | St John the Baptist School,Aberdare |
Alma mater | University of Wales,Cardiff |
Vikki Howells is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician serving as Minister for Further and Higher Education since September 2024. Since May 2016,she has also been the Member of the Senedd for Cynon Valley. Howells is a former teacher.
Howells was brought up in Cwmbach,Rhondda Cynon Taf,Wales. [1] She was educated at St John the Baptist School,a Church in Wales secondary school in Aberdare. [2] She studied International and Welsh history at the University of Wales,Cardiff,and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. [2] She remained at Cardiff to undertake postgraduate study in Modern Welsh History,and graduated with a Master of Arts degree. [2]
Her partner was Hefin David,former MS for the neighbouring Caerphilly constituency. [3]
Before her election to the Senedd,Howells was a history teacher and the assistant head of sixth form at St Cenydd Comprehensive School in Caerphilly,South Wales.
Howells has been a Member of the Labour Party since she was 17. [2] In December 2015,it was announced that Howells had been selected as the Welsh Labour candidate for the Cynon Valley constituency of the Senedd. [4] On 5 May 2016,she was elected as a Member of the Welsh Assembly,she received 9,830 votes (51.1% of the votes cast,and a majority of 5,994). [1]
She was re-elected as a Labour and Co-operative Party candidate [5] at the 2021 Senedd election with an increased majority of 7,468 votes. [6]
Howells supported Vaughan Gething in the 2018 and February–March 2024 Welsh Labour leadership elections. [7] [8]
Howells chaired the Welsh Labour Group of MSs from 2017 to 2024. [9] She is also president of the mental health charity Friends R Us and vice-president of Cwmbach Male Voice Choir. [9] [3] Vikki is also a member of the Cynon Valley History Society,the social justice thinktank the Bevan Foundation,the Co-operative Party,the GMB and USDAW. [9] [3]
Howells chaired the Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee between 2021 and 2024. [10]
She was appointed as Minister for Further and Higher Education under First Minister Eluned Morgan in September 2024. [11]