I was born and brought up in West Wales before moving to Cardiff more than 40 years ago. Since then I have lived in the Pontcanna area of Cardiff.
A former probation officer, youth justice worker and Barnardos project leader in Ely and Caerau, I have been a professor of Social Policy and Applied Social Sciences at Cardiff University. I also taught previously at Swansea University.
In the 1980s and 1990s, I was a Labour Councillor on South Glamorgan County Council, specialising in education issues, including Welsh medium education. Between 2000 and 2010, I worked as the Cabinet’s health and social policy adviser at the Welsh Government, and was latterly head of the First Minister’s political office.

I became the Assembly Member for Cardiff West in May 2011 and was re-elected in May 2016. Shortly after the new Government was formed, I was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. In December 2018, I was elected as the Leader of Welsh Labour and shortly after the First Minister of Wales.

My five years as First Minister was marked by a series of global challenges, including Brexit, coronavirus, Ukraine and the cost of living crisis. Despite these challenges, we pressed ahead with the promises we made at the 2021 election: reforming coal tip safety, banning single-use plastics, eliminating the pursuit of private profit in services for looked-after children, reforming the school year, reforming council tax and making our residential streets safer through the 20mph speed limit. We have also achieved direct new investment in schools, including major investments in Cantonian, Riverbank, Woodlands and Fitzalan schools.

Since stepping down from the First Minister role in March 2024, I was subsequently appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language by First Minister Eluned Morgan in September. I continue to serve the Cardiff West constituency and work for what will not only make the greatest difference today, but for future generations to come.