Rhun ap Iorwerth reveals ministerial team, promising 'new era' for Wales

Welsh government

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has revealed his ministerial team in Wales' first ever Plaid Cymru government.

Sioned Williams will be his deputy first minister, responsible for the party's flagship childcare policy, while Mabon ap Gwynfor is responsible for health and Anna Brychan will take on education

Introducing his ministers on the steps of the government's headquarters in Cardiff, ap Iorwerth promised a "wholesale" change of approach and a government "for all of the people of Wales".

He was confirmed as first minister on Tuesday, after Plaid became the largest party in the Senedd in an historic election that saw Labour's 27-year long rule in Wales come to an end.

The announcement follows a day of talks between ap Iorwerth and his senior MSs before announcing the cabinet.

In a speech he suggested the job his government faces is huge "due to the depths of the challenges we inherit from the past governments".

Ap Iorwerth said: "We will begin the government in earnest as a united team, of energy, talent and experience, ready to serve."

Plaid's former health spokesperson, ap Gwynfor, becomes the minister responsible for Wales' NHS.

His is one of the most important roles in government - with 55% of the day-to-day Welsh budget being spent on the health service.

Newly elected Brychan, who will look after schools policy as education minister, has a background in the sector as a former director of the National Association of Head Teachers.

And former presiding officer Elin Jones was appointed finance minister - an influential job that puts her in charge of the Welsh government's budget. She will likely oversee negotiations with other parties to get Plaid's spending plans through the Senedd.

Welsh government

Heledd Fychan becomes cabinet minister for culture and sport, a role promoted from a junior ministerial one in the last Labour government.

Fychan previously had a senior job at Museum Wales before joining the Senedd in 2021. She will also be trefnydd - which involves organising government business in the Senedd.

Former Plaid leader Adam Price was appointed the minister for enterprise, connectivity and energy, while minister for rural resilience, responsible for farming, is Llŷr Gruffydd - his party's former rural affairs spokesman.

Meanwhile former Plaid Cymru MP Elfyn Llwyd will be returning to frontline politics as counsel general - the government's chief legal adviser.

In a quirk of the system, the Senedd will need to agree the appointment.

New MS Dafydd Trystan will be the minister for the constitution and government effectiveness, having previously held major roles within his party.

They include being chairman under former leaders Leanne Wood and Adam Price and chief executive under Ieuan Wyn Jones.

Ap Iorwerth has also appointed four deputy ministers:

• Public and preventative health - Nerys Evans
• Social care, mental health and women's health - Delyth Jewell
• Deputy transport - Mark Hooper
• Skills and tertiary education - Cefin Campbell

Hooper is also a new MS, while Evans has returned to Cardiff Bay having served as an assembly member between 2006 to 2011.

As well as being deputy first minister, Sioned Williams will be responsible for the government's child poverty brief - including Plaid's plans for a child payment of £10 - and expanding childcare. Both are considered to be priorities for the government.

Speaking on the steps of Cathays Park, the Welsh government building in central Cardiff, Williams said she had no indication before Wednesday that she would be deputy first minister.

Williams denied the team is inexperienced: "There's a huge amount of experience in that room, and in this team."

She said areas like health, child poverty, education and the economy were priorities "that we think need immediate action".

In his speech ap Iorwerth said: "We fully understand the enormity of the task at hand due to the depths of the challenges we inherit from the past governments.

"But we will bring new impetus in facing up to those challenges."

Ap Iorwerth said it would have a "relentless focus on doing what's best for Wales".

"Our pledge is simple - to repay people's trust in us as quickly as we can, bringing the nation together. A new era of leadership starts today."

Responding to the announcement, Reform UK's Welsh leader Dan Thomas said the people of Wales "need this cabinet to succeed".

"Our NHS, our schools and our economy need urgent change and while I may disagree with Plaid, we all need them to succeed," he said.

"We will scrutinise their actions and work to ensure that their attention is on our public services and not Welsh independence."

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar said the new government had a "monumental task ahead of it" and wanted to see it succeed "where Labour fell short".

"We need new ideas and new governance, not the same old politics of the past 27 years," he said.