Mark Drakeford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Drakeford
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language | |
| Assumed office 11 September 2024 |
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| First Minister | Eluned Morgan |
| Preceded by | Rebecca Evans |
| In office 19 May 2016 – 13 December 2018 |
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| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Preceded by | Jane Hutt |
| Succeeded by | Rebecca Evans |
| First Minister of Wales | |
| In office 13 December 2018 – 20 March 2024 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Preceded by | Carwyn Jones |
| Succeeded by | Vaughan Gething |
| Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care | |
| Interim 6 August 2024 – 11 September 2024 |
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| First Minister | Eluned Morgan |
| Preceded by | Eluned Morgan |
| Succeeded by | Jeremy Miles |
| In office 14 March 2013 – 19 May 2016 |
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| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Deputy | Vaughan Gething |
| Preceded by | Lesley Griffiths |
| Succeeded by | Vaughan Gething |
| Leader of Welsh Labour | |
| In office 6 December 2018 – 16 March 2024 |
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| Deputy | Carolyn Harris |
| UK party leader |
Jeremy Corbyn Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Carwyn Jones |
| Succeeded by | Vaughan Gething |
| Minister for Brexit | |
| In office 3 November 2017 – 13 December 2018 |
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| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Jeremy Miles |
| Member of the Senedd for Cardiff West |
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| Assumed office 5 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Rhodri Morgan |
| Majority | 11,211 (30.7%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 September 1954 Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Clare Buckle
(m. 1977; died 2023) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Kent University of Exeter |
| Cabinet | Second Drakeford government |
| Signature |  |
Mark Drakeford was born on 19 September 1954. He is a Welsh politician who has held important roles in the Welsh Government. Since September 2024, he has been the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language. He also held this finance role from 2016 to 2018.
Before his current role, Mark Drakeford was the First Minister of Wales and the leader of the Welsh Labour party from 2018 to 2024. He also served as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care from 2013 to 2016, and for a short time in 2024. He was first elected as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for Cardiff West in 2011.
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Early Life and Education
Mark Drakeford was born in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, on 19 September 1954. He grew up there and went to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, which was a school just for boys at the time.
He studied Latin at the University of Kent. Later, he earned another degree from the University of Exeter. After university, he trained to be both a teacher and a social worker. In 1979, he moved to Cardiff. He worked as a probation officer and helped young people through a charity called Barnardo's in the communities of Ely and Caerau.
Academic Career
From 1991 to 1995, Mark Drakeford taught social studies at the University College of Swansea (now Swansea University). He then moved to Cardiff University in 1995, where he taught in the School of Social and Administrative Studies.
He became a senior lecturer in 1999 and a professor in 2003. He taught about social policy and applied social sciences. He continued working at the university until 2013, when he became a minister in the Welsh Government. He has written books and articles about social policy.
Political Journey
Mark Drakeford has always been interested in politics. He felt that politics was a big part of life in Carmarthenshire in the 1960s. He has always supported the Labour Party, believing that a person's connection to the economy greatly affects their life.
He is also a member of two trade unions, Unite the Union and UNISON. He is against the UK's nuclear weapons programme, called Trident, and wants it to be stopped. He is seen as being on the left side of the Labour Party.
From 1985 to 1993, Drakeford was a local councillor for the Pontcanna area on the South Glamorgan County Council. He was in charge of the Education Committee and was very interested in education taught through the Welsh language.
He helped with the "Yes for Wales" campaign in 1997, which led to the creation of the Welsh Assembly (now the Senedd). He then ran as a Labour candidate in the first Welsh Assembly election for Cardiff Central, but he did not win that seat.
After Rhodri Morgan became First Minister in 2000, Drakeford became a special advisor to the Welsh Government on health and social policy. He later led Morgan's political office. He was very close to Morgan and helped create the "Clear Red Water" idea. This idea meant that Labour Party policies in Wales would be different from those of the Labour government in London.
Drakeford took over from Rhodri Morgan as the Assembly Member for Cardiff West in the 2011 election. Soon after, he became the head of the Assembly's Health and Social Care Committee.
In 2013, First Minister Carwyn Jones asked him to join the government. He became the Minister for Health and Social Services. In this role, he helped pass important laws like the Human Transplantation Act and the Nurse Staffing Levels Act.
After the 2016 election, he became the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. Later, his role changed, and he became responsible for Wales' preparations for Brexit.
He was the only government minister in the UK to support Jeremy Corbyn when he ran to become the national leader of the Labour Party in 2015. Drakeford has also supported changing the voting system to make it fairer.
Becoming Welsh Labour Leader
After Carwyn Jones stepped down as party leader and First Minister in April 2018, Mark Drakeford decided to run for the leadership. He quickly gained support from many other Labour Assembly Members.
In September 2018, the Welsh Labour party decided to change how its leader was chosen. They moved to a system where each member's vote counted equally. This was something Drakeford had wanted for over 20 years.
During his campaign, Drakeford suggested ideas like giving "baby bundles" to new parents and creating a Community Bank for Wales. He also said he believed in a republic, meaning he thought the head of state should be elected, not a monarch.
On 6 December 2018, Mark Drakeford was chosen as the new leader of the Welsh Labour Party. He won with 53.9% of the votes in the final round.
On 13 December 2023, he announced he would step down as leader of Welsh Labour. He remained First Minister until his replacement was chosen. On 16 March 2024, Vaughan Gething won the leadership election and became the new leader.
First Minister of Wales
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Premiership of Mark Drakeford
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| 13 December 2018 – 20 March 2024 | |
| Premier | Mark Drakeford |
| Cabinet | First Drakeford government Second Drakeford government |
| Party | Welsh Labour |
| Election | 2021 |
| Appointer | Elizabeth II |
| Seat | Tŷ Hywel |
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← Carwyn Jones •
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Mark Drakeford was chosen by Assembly Members to be the First Minister on 12 December 2018. His appointment was approved by Queen Elizabeth II. He announced the members of his government the next day. He also became a Privy Counsellor in January 2019.
Leading During COVID-19
As First Minister, Drakeford led the Welsh Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales. Many decisions about handling the virus, like setting rules for daily life, were made by the Welsh Government.
On 23 March 2020, the UK Prime Minister announced a lockdown across the United Kingdom. First Minister Drakeford confirmed that these rules would also apply to Wales. People were told to stay home and only leave for essential reasons. Outdoor exercise was limited to once a day in Wales, which was different from England.
The Coronavirus Act 2020 gave the Welsh Government special powers to manage the pandemic. Drakeford supported working with other UK governments. However, his government also made different choices, such as a two-week "firebreak" lockdown in Wales in October 2020. A study from University College London praised how clearly Drakeford explained the rules to the public.
2021 Senedd Election
In the 2021 Senedd election, Labour promised to improve health and social care. This included investing in mental health services and aiming for free social care. For education, they planned to help students catch up after the pandemic and improve school buildings. They also wanted to expand access to Welsh-medium education.
Labour achieved one of its best election results ever, winning 30 seats. This was just one seat short of a full majority. Many experts believed that Mark Drakeford's leadership and how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales helped Labour succeed. He became well-known and was seen as a capable leader.
His Time in Office (2021-2024)
In November 2021, Drakeford and Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price agreed to work together on many policies. Their plans included free social care, more services for children, and rules about second homes. This was the third time Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru had worked together since the Welsh Assembly was created.
Free school meals began for the youngest children in September 2022. The goal was to offer them to all primary school pupils by 2024. In February 2023, all new road projects in Wales were stopped because they did not pass an environmental test. In April, local councils were given new powers to discourage people from owning too many second homes.
A new rule to set a 20mph speed limit on many roads in September 2023 caused mixed reactions. Towards the end of Drakeford's time as First Minister, the Welsh government faced some criticism about its performance in healthcare and education.
On 13 December 2023, Mark Drakeford announced he would resign. He stepped down after his replacement was chosen in a leadership contest.
After Being First Minister
Mark Drakeford served as a regular Member of the Senedd from March to August 2024, during Vaughan Gething's time as First Minister. During this period, he gave a speech about good government and human rights.
In August 2024, Drakeford was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care for a short time under the new First Minister, Eluned Morgan. In September 2024, Eluned Morgan moved Drakeford to his current role as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language.
Personal Life
Mark Drakeford was married to Clare Buckle from 1977 until she passed away in January 2023. They had three children together. During the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic, Drakeford moved into a separate building in his garden. This was to protect his wife and her mother, who were both vulnerable to the virus.
Drakeford enjoys playing cricket and growing vegetables in his garden plot.
Images for kids
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Mark Drakeford's signature
See also
In Spanish: Mark Drakeford para niños
