Carwyn Jones appointed as Welsh Labour leader
Carwyn Jones has been named as the new Labour leader in Wales, replacing incumbent Rhodri Morgan.
The 42-year-old Welsh Assembly member for Bridgend is currently the leader of the House and has been a favourite to win the role.
Jones won 52 per cent of the vote, beating rivals Edwina Hart and Huw Lewis.
He was previously the minister for open government and equality and has also worked in various ministerial roles including rural affairs and environment.
In 2002, when launching an Equal Opportunities Commission report into promoting equality in Wales, he said: “There is no reason, in this day and age, why equality of opportunity should not be available to all.
“I am committed to that ideal, and I’m delighted that the work we are doing in the Assembly is seen as a potential model for the rest of the UK.”
He was best-known for his role in the 2001 foot and mouth crisis when he was rural affairs minister. Since then, he has worked in lower-profile roles but has been seen as a steady choice for the leadership.
In his leadership campaign, Jones, who is married with two children, promised to increase spending on education, tackle “perceptions of isolation” in west and north Wales and focus on the everyday needs of Welsh people.
Morgan was Labour’s leader in Wales for ten years but announced in October he would retire.
