Mark Drakeford has announced he will stand down as Welsh Labour leader immediately and a leadership contest for a new first minister will be held.
A new party leader will be elected before Easter, Mr Drakeford said in a statement.
Mr Drakeford, 69, the Cardiff West Member of the Senedd (MS), has been first minister for five years.
Speaking at a hastily arranged press conference in the Welsh Parliament, Mr Drakeford said: "When I stood for the leadership, I said that, if elected, I would serve for five years.
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The original article contains 201 words, the summary contains 117 words. Saved 42%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
I’m pretty sure it is just he said 5 years and it’s been 5 years. It was expected he would resign in 2024 but guess he wanted Christmas off.
I think it’s better this way so that the next First Minister gets a few years in before the next election, rather than change just before an election.
Also he was leader during a pandemic which will have been especially stressful and his wife died earlier this year. I suspect he's done with politics (he's an academic in a previous career) and wants to do other things with his life.
6 Comments
autotldr@lemmings.world · 2 pts · 2y
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Mark Drakeford has announced he will stand down as Welsh Labour leader immediately and a leadership contest for a new first minister will be held.
A new party leader will be elected before Easter, Mr Drakeford said in a statement.
Mr Drakeford, 69, the Cardiff West Member of the Senedd (MS), has been first minister for five years.
Speaking at a hastily arranged press conference in the Welsh Parliament, Mr Drakeford said: "When I stood for the leadership, I said that, if elected, I would serve for five years.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC App.
The original article contains 201 words, the summary contains 117 words. Saved 42%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
mannycalavera@feddit.uk · 2 pts · 2y
U wot? 😂
There must be something more to the resignation than "I said I'd do five years and I have". Although... with Mark it could quite well be the case.
Let's hope he's not a nonce or has done a Sturgeon the party funds are just resting overnight in my new campervan thing.
DrCake@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y
I’m pretty sure it is just he said 5 years and it’s been 5 years. It was expected he would resign in 2024 but guess he wanted Christmas off.
I think it’s better this way so that the next First Minister gets a few years in before the next election, rather than change just before an election.
Tagger@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 2y
"Mr Drakeford will step down in March"
theo@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
Maybe he wanted Easter off!
stsquad@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 2y
Also he was leader during a pandemic which will have been especially stressful and his wife died earlier this year. I suspect he's done with politics (he's an academic in a previous career) and wants to do other things with his life.