‘Time to elect First Minister who looks ahead to next 25 years of devolution’ says Mark Drakeford
It’s time to elect a First Minister who looks ahead to the next 25 years of devolution, the First Minister has said.
The First Minister was asked what his plans were for stepping down from the role by Al Jazeera news in Doha.
“I’ve been part of the Senedd for the first quarter of a century. It’s time we elected somebody who looks ahead to the next 25 years,” he said.
Mark Drakeford spent his formative period in politics in the office of former First Minister Rhodri Morgan, before standing for election in his former Cardiff West seat.
He added however that his plans were to stay in the role for five years. That would take him to the end of next year.
“I said in the very beginning when I was first standing for the leadership of my party that I thought five years was the sort of period that somebody doing this job in the modern era should think about doing it,” he said.
“I’m not quite there yet, but I’m well over halfway there.
“I would never walk away from the job when the going was tough for there were difficult decisions that needed to be made, but the time will come during this Senedd term.”
He added: “I don’t think in terms of a legacy to be honest, I think I’d be happy with an epitaph that said he came into work every day and you try to do his best.”
‘Useful’
Mark Drakeford added that on stepping down he would like to return to the world of university teaching.
“There are many things I will be very keen to do when I don’t have to spend as much time doing what I do now,” he said. “As you said, I spend most of my working life in the university and I hugely miss teaching.
“I miss being with young people I miss the excitement you get with watching young people learn and sometimes being able to pass on some things to them that they may find useful.
“So I’d very much like to be able to go back and do a little bit of that.
“My poor neglected allotment to look forward to seeing a bit more of me than it normally does. and there are even family members who might like to spend a bit more time in my company.”
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I beg to differ. It’s time to elect a First Minister who is not simply a regional governor of the “Welsh” inmates of the English Penal Colonies of GB and NI.
Elect someone to represent Cymru, not yet another Unionist lackey.
As lackeys go, MD has been the best of a bad bunch. But let’s just stop electing lackeys.
Meh, Rhodri Morgan?
Or the next 3 years of devolution then eternity of independence
It doesn’t matter your political preference*, it is extremely refreshing to hear a politician talk about going back to teaching in a university and pottering about on his allotment, we won’t see Mark Drakeford speaking for billionaire despots or writing very poorly researched books about w*****s like Churchill, he won’t be rolling into the city for a large “city job” that involves sitting around raking in all the money you were promised for selling out your own country. Mark Drakeford has served with dignity and honour, he has done right by us as a country against the increasingly aggressive and… Read more »
My other half’s one of them…
As a fellow Anarchist, I have to admit that the problem with Anarchy is that each individual has quite rightly their own form and interpretation of Anarchy.
Interlectually wonderful, practically a challange.
As one who has considered it, the fatal flaw of anarchy is people. We are relying on people to be inherently decent. As we know, few people are
Agree with you all – Anarchist thought; interesting, often inspired and too often overlooked. Anarchist action? Yeah…
I wonder who prompted Al Jazeera to ask MD the question that no one would dare ask here in Wales…
I find it’s a more reliable source of news than EBC
Drakeford is hoping we’ll stay tied to the Union but increasingly he is behind the times. Independence will arrive, it is only a matter of time.
He is Ferodo man.
Bet he’d fail at spuds, too!
Drakeford has always been extremely adept at walking delicately on thin ice. He has balanced carefully between devolution and independence, favouring just enough independence to gain the grudging respect of the nationalists (after all, it was Drakeford who said that independence was now back on the political agenda) while not being so outspoken as to alarm the Sais. Back in the day he was a supporter of Labour’s previous left-wing leadership but has managed not to be purged by the bunch of control-freaks now running the party. So who will replace him? Will the national party leadership parachute in some… Read more »
The full interview is on Al Jazeera YouTube channel.
I have lost any and all respect for this man, he’s nothing but a trained lapdog for his betters in London. This is why i both love and hate being Cymro. Love the defiance in our history and sacrifices our ancestors payed for us to be here, but despise how we, as A modern people let go of our basic human rights, Human rights other nations take for granted.
Perhaps some can love and hate being Welsh or even love and hate being Cymraeg, but definitely can’t ‘love and hate being Cymro’.
Ah indeed!
What defiance? Please give some examples after circa.1415.This fantasy version of our history is extremely damaging to any real understanding of our past.
Last act of defiance was 1485 with the battle of Bosworth. Welsh didn’t rebel after that because generations were under the assumption that the Tudors were playing their part in the Mab Darogan. The Tudors were the most disastrous turning point in Welsh history. As for overall, I’m talking in totality. The Welsh resisted multiple onslaughts from several different people for well over a Thousand years.
Next FM? For heavens sake, don’t choose Eluned Morgan. It’ll be like a re.run of Pivac!
I’m a big fan of Mark Drakeford. He led us well through the pandemic – and led by example, not talk. Best wishes to him.
I hope either Mick Antoniw or Lee Waters go for the job when Mark Drakeford steps down. Both fantastic politicians.
I have viewed MD for many years and seen the depth and quality of his thought ( when we were both young councillors along with Hag Harries etc. ) His love of our language, social conscience and wish to see Wales prosper were always there. Sadly this was usually mixed with am over academic view of the way to solve issues and a comfort in being surrounded by those who mirrored his views that only Labour could do the right thing. We are however blessed to have had his genuine moral compass leading our nation during Covid and his relationship… Read more »