Huw Irranca-Davies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Huw Irranca-Davies
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Deputy First Minister of Wales | |
| Assumed office 6 August 2024 |
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| First Minister | Eluned Morgan |
| Preceded by | Ieuan Wyn Jones (2011) |
| Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs | |
| Assumed office 21 March 2024 |
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| First Minister | Vaughan Gething Eluned Morgan |
| Preceded by | Julie James (Climate Change) Lesley Griffiths (Rural Affairs) |
| Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care | |
| In office 3 November 2017 – 13 December 2018 |
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| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Preceded by | Rebecca Evans |
| Succeeded by | Dawn Bowden |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Marine and Natural Environment | |
| In office 5 October 2008 – 6 May 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Jonathan Shaw |
| Succeeded by | Richard Benyon |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales | |
| In office 2 July 2007 – 5 October 2008 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Nick Ainger |
| Succeeded by | Wayne David |
| Member of the Senedd for Ogmore |
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| Assumed office 5 May 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Janice Gregory |
| Majority | 8,165 (33.3%) |
| Member of Parliament for Ogmore |
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| In office 14 February 2002 – 24 March 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Ray Powell |
| Succeeded by | Chris Elmore |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ifor Huw Davies
22 January 1963 Gowerton, Swansea, Wales |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour Co-operative |
| Spouse | Joanna Irranca (known as Joanna Irranca-Davies) |
| Relations | Ifor Davies (great-uncle) |
| Children | 3 |
| Occupation | Politician |
Ifor Huw Irranca-Davies (born 22 January 1963) is a Welsh politician. He is a member of the Welsh Labour and Co-operative Party. Since August 2024, he has been the Deputy First Minister of Wales. He also serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs since March 2024.
Huw Irranca-Davies has been a Member of the Senedd (MS) for Ogmore since 2016. Before that, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the same area from 2002 to 2016. He has held several important roles in both the UK and Welsh governments.
Early Life and Family
Huw Irranca-Davies was born in 1963. His birth name was Ifor Huw Davies. He grew up in Gowerton, Swansea, Wales. As a boy, he helped his step great-uncle, Ifor Davies, who was also a politician.
He went to Gowerton Comprehensive School. Later, he studied at Crewe and Alsager College and Swansea Metropolitan University. He earned a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree.
After university, he worked in leisure management for local councils. He also worked in private businesses and as a lecturer at Swansea Metropolitan University. He met his wife, Joanna Irranca, at a sports centre. When they got married, they both changed their last names to Irranca-Davies. They have three sons.
Political Career Highlights
Huw Irranca-Davies has had a long career in politics. He has worked in both the UK Parliament and the Welsh Parliament (Senedd).
Serving in the UK Parliament
In 2001, Huw Irranca-Davies first tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP). He ran for the Brecon & Radnor constituency. He was elected as the MP for Ogmore in 2002. This area had been a Labour Party seat since 1918. He was re-elected three more times, in 2005, 2010, and 2015.
As an MP, he worked on many local and national issues. He helped to modernise how Parliament works. He also worked on new laws, including those about police reform and fireworks. He spoke in Parliament about topics like fair trade, social justice, and climate change.
He held several important positions in the UK Government. He was a special assistant (called a Parliamentary Private Secretary) to different ministers. He also served as an Assistant Government Whip. This role helps make sure party members vote together.
Ministerial Roles in UK Government
From 2007 to 2008, he was a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales. This meant he helped the government with Welsh affairs. From 2008 to 2010, he was an Environment Minister. He worked in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
After the Labour Party was no longer in power, he became a "Shadow Minister." This means he was part of the opposition party's team. He was the Shadow Energy Minister and later the Shadow Minister for Food and Farming. In 2015, he became the Chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee. This committee checks how government policies affect the environment.
Huw Irranca-Davies left the UK Parliament in March 2016. He decided to run for a seat in the Welsh Parliament instead.
Serving in the Welsh Senedd
In 2015, Huw Irranca-Davies announced he wanted to work in the Senedd (the Welsh Parliament) in Cardiff Bay. He was chosen to represent the Ogmore area. He won the election in May 2016 and was re-elected in 2021.
Welsh Government Roles
In November 2017, he was appointed as the Minister for Children and Social Care. He worked in this role for about a year. In March 2024, he became the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs. This means he is a senior minister responsible for these important areas in Wales.
In July 2024, he became the Deputy First Minister of Wales. This is a very important leadership role in the Welsh Government. He took on this role alongside Eluned Morgan, who became the First Minister.
Key Offices Held
Westminster Parliamentary and UK Government Offices
- May 2005 – May 2006: Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport
- May 2006 – June 2007: Assistant Government Whip
- June 2007 – October 2008: Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales
- October 2008 – May 2010: Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
- October 2008 – June 2009: Natural Environment and Rural Affairs
- June 2009 – May 2010: Marine and Natural Environment
- May 2010 – October 2010: Shadow Minister for Marine and Natural Environment (Shadow Defra Minister)
- October 2010 – October 2011: Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change
- October 2011 – May 2015: Shadow Minister for Food and Farming
- May 2015 – October 2015: Chair, Environmental Audit Select Committee
National Assembly & Welsh Government Offices
- June 2016 – Nov 2017: Chair, National Assembly for Wales, Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee
- Nov 2017 – December 2018: Minister for Children and Social Care, Welsh Government
- March 2024 - Present: Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
- August 2024 - Present: Deputy First Minister of Wales
Awards and Recognition
Huw Irranca-Davies has received awards for his work.
In 2011, he was a finalist for the Sports Parliamentarian of the Year award. This was for his efforts to promote archery. He even hosted an archery event inside Parliament! Gold medal archers like Nicky Hunt attended the event.
In 2013, he was named Total Politics MP of the Month. He won this award for helping farmers and shoppers. He convinced the government to change a law about how supermarkets deal with their suppliers.
