42 Facts About Mark Drakeford

Mark Drakeford was born on 19 September 1954 and is a Welsh politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance since September 2024, having previously held the position from 2016 to 2018.

Mark Drakeford previously served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2018 to 2024, and as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care from 2013 to 2016, and on an interim basis in 2024.

Mark Drakeford was first elected as the Member of the Senedd for Cardiff West in 2011 and is considered to be on the soft left of Labour.

Mark Drakeford studied Latin at the University of Kent and the University of Exeter.

Mark Drakeford was a lecturer at the University College of Swansea from 1991 to 1995 and at Cardiff University from 1995 to 1999.

Mark Drakeford was a Professor of Social Policy and Applied Social Sciences at Cardiff University from 2003 to 2013.

Mark Drakeford served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance from 2016 to 2018 and as Minister for Brexit from 2017 to 2018.

Mark Drakeford led the Welsh Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Drakeford resigned as Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister in March 2024 and was succeeded by his Health Minister Vaughan Gething.

Mark Drakeford spent the duration of Gething's premiership on the backbenches before making a return to government as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care under First Minister Eluned Morgan in August 2024.

Mark Drakeford was born on 19 September 1954 in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, where he was brought up.

Mark Drakeford moved to Cardiff in 1979 and subsequently worked as a probation officer and a youth justice worker, including as a Barnardo's project leader in the Ely and Caerau communities.

From 1991 to 1995, Mark Drakeford was a lecturer in applied social studies at the University College of Swansea.

Mark Drakeford then moved to the University of Wales, Cardiff, renamed as Cardiff University in 1999, as a lecturer in its School of Social and Administrative Studies.

Mark Drakeford was promoted to senior lecturer in 1999 and appointed as Professor of Social Policy and Applied Social Sciences in 2003.

Mark Drakeford continued in his academic posts until his appointment as a Welsh Government minister in 2013.

Mark Drakeford has published books and journal articles on various aspects of social policy.

Mark Drakeford has always been interested in politics, which he says was part of the fabric of life in 1960s Carmarthenshire.

Mark Drakeford has stated that he was "always Labour", believing that a person's ties to the economy are the great determining factor in their life chances.

Mark Drakeford is a staunch opponent of Britain's Trident nuclear programme and has called for its decommissioning.

Mark Drakeford is considered to be part of the left wing of the Labour Party, and is supported by some members of Welsh Labour Grassroots and Momentum.

Mark Drakeford's views were described as soft left in 2018, in line with the views of former Labour leader Michael Foot.

From 1985 to 1993, Mark Drakeford represented the Pontcanna ward on South Glamorgan County Council, with fellow future Welsh Assembly members Jane Hutt and Jane Davidson as his ward colleagues.

Mark Drakeford served as Chair of the Education Committee and took a particular interest in Welsh-medium education.

Mark Drakeford had been close with Morgan for a number of years, having been Morgan's election agent when he was elected to the UK Parliament.

Mark Drakeford succeeded Morgan as the Assembly Member for Cardiff West when the latter retired at the 2011 election.

Mark Drakeford's appointment was welcomed by the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing.

Mark Drakeford's portfolio was later changed, as he assumed responsibility for the Welsh Government's Brexit preparations and responsibility for local government was transferred to Alun Davies.

Mark Drakeford was the only sitting Cabinet member in any part of the UK to support Jeremy Corbyn in his bid for the national leadership of the Labour Party in 2015, while he was Minister for Health and Social Services.

At the UK Labour Party's conference in September 2022, Mark Drakeford used his speech at conference to in part hail the benefits of electoral reform.

Mark Drakeford has been a long term advocate for using proportional representation at general elections.

Immediately following Carwyn Jones' resignation as party leader and First Minister on 21 April 2018, Mark Drakeford told BBC Wales he was giving a leadership bid "serious consideration".

Mark Drakeford immediately secured the public support of seven other Labour AMs, taking him beyond the threshold of nominations needed to get onto the ballot.

Mark Drakeford later received support from 10 MPs, eight trade unions and 24 Constituency Labour Parties.

On 6 December 2018, Mark Drakeford emerged as leader of the Welsh Labour Party in succession to Carwyn Jones.

Mark Drakeford was nominated by AMs as First Minister designate on 12 December 2018 and his nomination was approved by Queen Elizabeth II.

Mark Drakeford was appointed as a Privy Counsellor on 10 January 2019.

Pollster Ben Walker wrote in a piece for the New Statesman that one of the factors which had contributed to Labour's success at the election was that Mark Drakeford had developed a greater profile among the public in Wales during the COVID-19 pandemic and was perceived as competent and the best potential First Minister.

On 13 December 2023 Mark Drakeford resigned, intending to step down after his replacement had been selected in a leadership contest.

Mark Drakeford served on the backbenches between March and August 2024 during Vaughan Gething's premiership.

Mark Drakeford was married to Clare Buckle from 1977 until her death in January 2023, at the age of 71.

Mark Drakeford is said to have a passion for cricket and for growing vegetables on his allotment.