Drakeford confirms he’ll stop Senedd at subsequent election
Mr Drakeford has beforehand stated he’ll stand down as First Minister earlier than the tip of the Senedd time period in 2026, though no agency date has but been set to decide on his successor.
But the First Minister has now confirmed he plans to depart the Senedd, the place he presently represents the Cardiff West constituency, on the subsequent election.
Speaking on the National Eisteddfod in Boduan, north west Wales, Mr Drakeford stated it was “important to have a refresh”.
I’m not going to be a Member of the Senedd after 2026 however I’m not going to step again from the controversy or cease eager about Wales’ future
According to the BBC, the Welsh First Minister stated: “It’s important to have a refresh. I think it is difficult for those who will be doing the work in the future to have people like me sitting behind them.
“I don’t want to do that. I think of it like Tony Benn – when he decided to leave the House of Commons, he said ‘I’m going to stop being an MP in order to spend more time in politics’.”
In a query and reply session with Elin Jones, the presiding officer of the Senedd, Mr Drakeford added: “I’m not going to be a Member of the Senedd after 2026 but I am not going to step back from the debate or stop thinking about Wales’ future.”
Mr Drakeford was first elected to the Senedd in 2011 because the Member for Cardiff West.
He served in numerous ministerial roles from 2013 underneath the management of Carwyn Jones, earlier than succeeding him as First Minister and Welsh Labour chief in 2018.
Mr Drakeford’s televised appearances all through the Covid pandemic to share particulars of Wales-specific public well being measures are sometimes credited with widening public consciousness of the function of the Welsh Parliament and Government.
He indicated in December that he would finish his premiership earlier than the following Senedd elections happen.