Frontbench Team of Kirsty Williams

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Frontbench Team of Kirsty Williams

Frontbench Team of the National Assembly for Wales
December 2008–May 2016
Williams' official portrait, 2011
Date formed11 December 2008
Date dissolved5 May 2016
People and organisations
LeaderKirsty Williams
Member party
  •   Welsh Liberal Democrats
Status in legislatureOpposition party
6 / 60 (10%)
(2008)
5 / 60 (8%)
(2011)
History
Legislature term(s)3rd National Assembly for Wales
4th National Assembly for Wales
PredecessorSecond Frontbench Team of
Mike German
SuccessorNone[a]

Kirsty Williams, the leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, formed her frontbench team of party spokespeople in the National Assembly for Wales on 11 December 2008 after she was elected to succeed Mike German as party leader on 8 December. She reshuffled her frontbench team after the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election before her party's seat share was reduced from five to one at the 2016 National Assembly for Wales election, with Williams becoming the party's sole assembly member (AM).

In the aftermath of the 2016 assembly election, Williams participated in the 2016 Welsh government formation as the deciding vote in the renomination of Carwyn Jones as first minister. Afterwards, Jones brought Williams into his third government. She also served under his successor Mark Drakeford before standing down at the 2021 Senedd election,[b] where her party once again returned a single seat in the legislature, this time with Jane Dodds as the only Welsh Liberal Democrat elected into office.

Background[edit]

Kirsty Williams was elected to the National Assembly for Wales at the 1999 National Assembly for Wales election. She was a member of Mike German's first and second frontbench teams of party spokespeople in the assembly. After German announced his resignation in 2008, Williams stood in the leadership election to succeed him as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. She defeated the runner-up Jenny Randerson in the election and became the new leader of the party. At the time of her election, Williams was the first woman to lead a political party in Wales. Her party had six assembly members (AMs) in the National Assembly at the time of her election.

History[edit]

Williams formed her frontbench team of party spokespeople on 11 December 2008. Her leadership rival Jenny Randerson was made the spokesperson for the economy and transport and the spokesperson for education, children, lifelong learning and skills. Peter Black was appointed as the group's business manager and as its spokesperson for health and local government. Other appointments to the frontbench included Eleanor Burnham as spokesperson for communities, culture and equality and Mick Bates as spokesperson for environment, sustainability and rural affairs.[1][2] Commenting on her frontbench team, Williams said she appointed Randerson to the economy portfolio as the "economy is the number one issue in politics today".[1]

On 8 February 2010, Bates was dismissed from the frontbench after he was accused of assault and put under a police investigation over an alleged incident on 20 January 2010.[3] A mini-reshuffle followed, with former leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Mike German appointed to replace Bates in the frontbench team, taking on his portfolio in the environment, sustainability and rural affairs.[2] Bates had already announced his intention to retire from the assembly at the 2011 National Assembly for Wales election in the previous year.[4] German left the assembly in May 2010 to take up a seat in the House of Lords, with his seat in the assembly being taken by his wife the Welsh Liberal Democrat politician Veronica German. A reshuffle followed on 24 July 2010, with Williams becoming spokesperson for environment and rural affairs and appointing Veronica German as spokesperson for health, local government and equal opportunities. Peter Black remained business manager but became spokesperson for housing and finance. Other appointments included Eleanor Burnham as spokesperson for communities, culture, social justice and European affairs and Jenny Randerson as spokesperson for the economy and education.[5]

At the assembly election in May 2011, the Welsh Liberal Democrats' share of seats was reduced from six to five.[6] On 11 July 2011, Williams reshuffled the party's frontbench team in the assembly.[7] All five Liberal Democrat AMs were given portfolios. Williams appointed herself as spokesperson for health and social care. Peter Black was appointed as spokesperson for local government, heritage, housing and finance and remained business manager. Newly elected AMs Elunded Parrott, Aled Roberts and William Powell were made spokesperson for enterprise, transport, Europe and business, spokesperson for children, education and the Welsh language, and spokesperson for environment, sustainability and rural affairs respectively.[7][8]

At the 2016 National Assembly for Wales election in May 2016 the Welsh Liberal Democrats lost four of its five seats, with Williams being the only Welsh Liberal Democrat who was returned to office at the election.[9][10] In the aftermath of the election, Williams held the deciding vote in the assembly vote to nominate a first minister during the 2016 Welsh government formation. The incumbent first minister Carwyn Jones of the Labour Party put himself forward for renomination but this was challenged by the nomination of Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood, which was supported by the Welsh Conservatives and the UK independence Party.[9][10] Williams voted for Jones' renomination as first minster, producing an overall tie, which secured him with enough time to negotiate a deal with Plaid to win a second vote and secure another term in office, thereby preventing the fall of his Labour government.[11][9][12] On 19 May 2016, Jones formed a new cabinet and appointed Williams as the new cabinet secretary for education and skills.[9] She remained in the government under his successor Mark Drakeford with her post retitled to minister for education.[13] Williams stood down at the 2021 Senedd election[b] with her party once again returning a single seat in the legislature, this time with Jane Dodds as the only Welsh Liberal Democrat elected into office.[14]

Members[edit]

December 2008–July 2010[edit]

Portfolio Spokesperson Constituency Term
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Kirsty Williams AM Brecon and Radnorshire December 2008–May 2016
Welsh Liberal Democrat Group Business Manager Peter Black AM South Wales West December 2008–May 2016
Spokesperson for Health and Local Government December 2008–July 2010
Spokesperson for the Economy and Transport
Spokesperson for Education, Children, Lifelong Learning & Skills 		Jenny Randerson AM Cardiff Central December 2008–July 2010
Spokesperson for Communities, Culture and Equality Eleanor Burnham AM North Wales December 2008–July 2010
Spokesperson for Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Mick Bates AM Montgomeryshire December 2008–February 2010
Mike German AM South Wales East February 2010–July 2010

Changes[edit]

  • In February 2010, Mick Bates was dismissed from the frontbench after he was accused of assault. Former leader Mike German rejoined the frontbench and took over his portfolio in the environment, sustainability and rural affairs.[2]

July 2010–May 2011[edit]

Portfolio Spokesperson Constituency Term
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Kirsty Williams AM Brecon and Radnorshire December 2008–May 2016
Spokesperson for Environment and Rural Affairs July 2010–May 2011
Welsh Liberal Democrat Group Business Manager Peter Black AM South Wales West December 2008–May 2016
Spokesperson for Housing and Finance July 2010–May 2011
Spokesperson for the Economy and Education Jenny Randerson AM Cardiff Central July 2010–May 2011
Spokesperson for Communities, Culture, Social Justice and European affairs Eleanor Burnham AM North Wales July 2010–May 2011
Spokesperson for Health, Local Government and Equal Opportunities Veronica German AM South Wales East July 2010–May 2011

July 2011–May 2016[edit]

Portfolio Spokesperson Constituency Term
Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Kirsty Williams AM Brecon and Radnorshire December 2008–May 2016
Spokesperson for Health and Social Care July 2011–May 2016
Welsh Liberal Democrat Group Business Manager Peter Black AM South Wales West December 2008–May 2016
Spokesperson for Local Government, Heritage, Housing and Finance July 2011–May 2016
Spokesperson for Enterprise, Transport, Europe and Business Eluned Parrott AM South Wales Central July 2011–May 2016
Spokesperson for Children, Education and the Welsh Language Aled Roberts AM North Wales July 2011–May 2016
Spokesperson for Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs William Powell AM Mid and West Wales July 2011–May 2016

Notes and references[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Williams was the only Welsh Liberal Democrat who was returned to office at the 2016 National Assembly for Wales election and she joined the third government of Welsh Labour's Carwyn Jones later that year, remaining in government under his successor Mark Drakeford until she stepped down at the 2021 Senedd election, where Jane Dodds was the only Welsh Liberal Democrat who was elected to office.
  2. ^ a b In 2020, the National Assembly for Wales was renamed as the Senedd Cymru or Welsh Parliament, more generally known as the Senedd.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Kirsty Williams reveals Lib Dem line-up". North Wales Live. 12 December 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Williamson, David (9 February 2010). "Lib Dems demote AM Mick Bates as police investigate". Wales Online. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Paramedic claims Lib Dem AM Mick Bates assaulted him". BBC News. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  4. ^ "AM to step down at next election". BBC News. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Welsh Liberal Democrat reshuffle". Freedom Central. 24 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  6. ^ Jones, Alun (30 March 2016). "Welsh Assembly election: Lib Dems make an impact". BBC News. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Kirsty Williams names Lib Dems' assembly front bench". BBC News. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Ministers announced". Freedom Central. 11 July 2011. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d Morris, Steven (19 May 2016). "Lib Dem Kirsty Williams appointed to Labour-led Welsh cabinet". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  10. ^ a b Jones, Alun; Harri, Nia (11 May 2016). "AMs fail to elect new first minister". BBC News. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Welsh Government Cabinet named after deadlock broken". Caerphilly Observer. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  12. ^ Morris, Steven (18 May 2016). "Labour will lead Welsh government after deal ends deadlock". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  13. ^ Deacon, Thomas (13 December 2018). "The new Welsh Government cabinet revealed with Alun Davies and Huw Irranca Davies axed". Wales Online. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Liberal Democrats nearly wiped out in Wales after losing only constituency seat to Conservatives". ITV News. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
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