David TC Davies is the new Welsh Secretary after Robert Buckland resignation

David TC Davies is the new Welsh Secretary after his predecessor Robert Buckland’s resignation today.

The Monmouth MP has been a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales at the Welsh Office since December 2019.

He also backed Rishi Sunak in the latest leadership contest, after formerly backing Liz Truss in September.

Robert Buckland’s predecessor, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart, has been made Chief Whip.

David TC Davies MP @DavidTCDavies has been appointed Secretary of State for Wales @UKGovWales. #Reshuffle pic.twitter.com/Q7peG6fCK5

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) October 25, 2022

The leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies MS said: “The Prime Minister has made it clear that we need to put people’s needs above politics and has acted decisively to appoint a cabinet of talent from across our Party.  

“I am particularly pleased to see David TC Davies returning to the Wales Office, now as the Secretary of State for Wales.  

“David will be invaluable in ensuring Wales is at the heart of the UK Government, especially drawing on his experience as an Assembly Member before becoming an MP. I know he will continue to be a superb champion for our country now around the cabinet table.  

“David has been a good friend to many of us, including myself over many years. I look forward to continuing the strong and positive relationship between the Senedd Group, the Party and the Wales Office to deliver for Wales together.” 

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‘Grateful’

Earlier today Robert Buckland resigned at Welsh Secretary after meeting with Rishi Sunak.

In a letter to new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak amid today’s Cabinet reshuffle, he said that he was submitting his resignation from the government, having taken on the role under Boris Johnson after Simon Hart’s resignation in July.

Buckland, who is from Llanelli, was a controversial choice of Welsh Secretary as he represented a non-Welsh constituency in South Swindon.

The choice of a Welsh Secretary who did not represent a Welsh Constituency was cited by Bridgend MP Jamie Wallis when he called for former Prime Minister Liz Truss to resign.

Robert Buckland has also abandoned Rishi Sunak for Liz Truss during the Conservative leadership campaign in the summer, making his place in the Cabinet less secure.

In his resignation letter to the new Prime Minister he said: “Firstly, my congratulations on your election as Leader of the Conservative Party and your appointment by His Majesty The King this morning as Prime Minister.

“I am grateful to you for our meeting earlier. At my request, I am writing to submit my resignation from the Government.

“It has been a huge honour to serve four Prime Ministers on the front bench for seven and a half years, most latterly as Secretary of State for Wales.

“At the Wales Office, I was able to make significant progress on our Levelling Up agenda, launching the Welsh Freeports bidding process and continuing the roll out of the Shared Prosperity Fund. It was the honour of my life to have helped to lead the ceremonial events in Cardiff on the sad death of her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Accession of His Majesty The King last month.

“I have always been proud to be a unionist, proud to be Welsh, and proud to serve in the UK Government. I firmly believe that we are one family and one nation with shared values, and we are stronger together, which is why I was proud to serve once again in Cabinet.

“As Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, working alongside you in Cabinet, I was deeply proud to lead generational reforms to sentencing law, divorce law reform, better support for victims of rape and serious sexual offences, reform of the Probation Service and oversight of the massive prison-building programme, as well as having responsibility for managing the prison estate during the Covid emergency.

“You can be assured of my support from the backbenches as we deal with the economic and security crisis that faces us. We have to now come together to deliver our 2019 Manifesto and to ensure that our country emerges stronger from the storms that beset us.

“I will continue to serve my fellow residents in South Swindon as I have done since 2010, and I am also looking forward to working on issues relating to autism and employment with you and would like to lead a Review as to how business and private enterprise can help us bridge the employment gap, which for autistic people is just too great.”