Why is Senedd Labour hopeful keeping new job a secret?

Emily Price 

A Labour Senedd hopeful has been campaigning to be selected to stand at the election next year without telling party members he has been appointed the new Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales.

Former special advisor and Welsh Government diplomat Mitch Theaker was shortlisted as a Labour candidate for his home constituency of Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr in September.

He has since been battling for support from Welsh Labour members who will decide where he will rank on the party’s list ahead of the Senedd election in May.

The electronic ballot for the ranking process went live at around 6pm on Saturday (October 18) and will close at 23:59 on Sunday November 2.

Campaigning

Mr Theaker sent out a campaign text message to members after the ballot was opened which included a link to a stirring YouTube video about how his grandfather had inspired him to stand for Labour.

The text, sent to members at 19:51 on Saturday, stated: “Tonight, you should have been emailed your vote to choose who’ll represent us at the next Senedd election.

“I’d be really grateful for your 1st or 2nd preference so we can take the fight to Reform.”

However, a Welsh Labour source told Nation.Cymru that Mr Theaker has known for a week that he will be appointed the new Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for South Wales on Monday (October 20).

The role is not an elected position and would have involved an interview process by a panel.

The position will see Mr Theaker support PCC Emma Wools in holding South Wales Police to account.

The job comes with a £53,000 salary – far less that a backbench Senedd Member’s £80,000 a year wage.

Although there is no rule that stops the election hopeful from taking the job whilst also seeking to be a Senedd Member, questions have been raised about why Mr Theaker didn’t make members aware of his new role prior to the ballot opening.

Questions

Calls have been made for the former Welsh Government advisor to confirm whether he told the interview panel that he had ambitions to be an MS and whether he would quit the PCC job in order to represent his hometown in the Senedd.

Questions have also been raised about whether Mr Theaker will withdraw from Labour’s selection process after his appointment as Deputy PCC is announced on Monday.

A Welsh Labour source said: “The appointment of a Senedd Member selection candidate as Deputy PCC is concerning and raises a number of questions, especially as the candidate was still campaigning, without announcing his appointment to the role, after ballots were issued to party members.

“Given that we know that many people vote when they receive the email, this could mean that many votes have potentially been wasted if Mr Theaker withdraws from the selection process to become a Senedd candidate.

“If he intends to step down as Deputy PCC should he be selected, then this will have been a waste of time and public funds for the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

“Either way, there are questions to answer, and at a time when Welsh Labour’s popularity is in the doldrums, this is not a good look”

Mr Theaker told Nation.Cymru he had informed the interview panel of his candidacy and had “made it clear” he planned to continue his campaign for the Senedd.

In a statement, he said: “I very much hope to do well in this selection process for PCM. I remain as committed as ever to the communities I’ve spent my life in service to.

“I’m really pleased to be taking on the role of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner.

“Throughout my life, I’ve been driven by a commitment to social justice, from founding a food bank to my time as a special adviser leading work on equality and rights.

“This role is an extension of that same passion: making sure people feel safe, supported, and treated fairly.

“It’s a part-time position alongside my ongoing commitment, running and winning, for the next Senedd elections.

“Like other candidates, I work alongside my campaign, and I’m proud to be doing so in a way that helps deliver real outcomes for communities here in South Wales.”

Concerns

We also wrote to Welsh Labour pointing out that concerns had been raised about internal party democracy.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “Welsh Labour’s selection process for the next Senedd elections is ongoing following a timetable agreed by the Welsh Executive Committee.

“Shortlists have been completed for all new constituencies, apart from Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, and the process of ranking with Constituency Labour Party members is ongoing. We are not commenting on individual selections processes.”

Mr Theaker was appointed the head of the Welsh Government’s office in India in 2023.

He had previously ran Vaughan Gething’s campaign bid when he stood against former First Minister Mark Drakeford in 2018.

Mr Theaker later worked as a special advisor to Mark Drakeford and supported several Welsh Government ministers.

He has spent much of his time since graduating from Swansea University working for the Labour Party or Labour politicians.