Andrew Davies (Welsh politician)

For the Conservative Assembly Member, see Andrew R. T. Davies.

Andrew Davies AM
Member of the Welsh Assembly for Swansea West
In office 6 May 1999 – 6 May 2011
Preceded by	New Assembly
Succeeded by	Julie James
Personal details
Born	(1952-05-05) 5 May 1952 Hereford, England
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	Swansea University

Prof. Andrew Davies, AM (born 5 May 1952) is a Welsh Labour politician, who represents the constituency of Swansea West in the National Assembly for Wales. Davies was born in Hereford to Welsh parents; his mother is from Llandeilo and his father from Holywell, Flintshire. Davies attended Hereford Cathedral School and Swansea University, where he trained as a teacher.

Professional career

He worked for the Ford Motor Company and a public affairs company. Davies is also a qualified counsellor and has lectured in further, higher and continuing education.

Political career

Former Chair of Swansea West Labour Party and member of the Welsh Labour Executive Committee, he was a regional party official from 1984-91. Davies was one of the architects of devolution as main organiser of the Labour Party Yes Campaign in 1997. He has been a member of the Cabinet since the Assembly was established.

From May 1999 to February 2002, he served as Business Manager with a place on the Business Committee. During the period of Labour minority government (May 1999-October 2000), he also served as chief whip of the Labour group, but Standing Orders of the Labour Group prohibited him holding this post during a coalition period.

As Business Manager, Davies took personal responsibility for communications with the public and he remains one of the most high profile Cabinet Ministers. Indeed, he has a reputation for the most unusual photo-calls of any Cabinet Minister.

In February 2002, promotion followed the "tweak" by Rhodri Morgan to his Cabinet when, with Mike German AM still outside Government, Andrew Davies was promoted to Minister for Economic Development. It is arguably the second most senior position in Cabinet and was seen as a reward for loyalty and for managing Assembly business.

In the May 2003 reshuffle, he also gained responsibility for transport policy. He helped the Assembly's policy of extending broadband connectivity throughout Wales to progress. From 2000 he has also had personal responsibility for co-ordination of information technology in public institutions, and has sought to advance Wales's IT abilities on a European level.

In May 2007, Davies became Minister for Social Justice and Public Service delivery in the Labour led minority government. In the coalition government of Labour and Plaid Cymru, Davies was appointed Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery on July 19. He left the cabinet following the Welsh Labour leadership election in 2009.

External links

• Bio at the Welsh Assembly Government
• The Department for Enterprise, Innovation, and Networks
• Assembly Handbook (pdf)

National Assembly for Wales
Preceded by (new post)	Assembly Member for Swansea West	Succeeded by Julie James
Political offices
Preceded by (new post)	Chief Whip 1999 – 2000	Succeeded by Karen Sinclair
Preceded by (new post)	Minister for Assembly Business 1999 – 2002	Succeeded by Carwyn Jones
Preceded by (new post)	Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks 2002 – 2007	Succeeded by Brian Gibbons
Preceded by (new post)	Minister for Social Justice and Public Service Delivery 2007 (31 May to 19 July)	Succeeded by (post reorganised)
Preceded by (new post)	Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery 2007-2009	Succeeded by (post reorganised)