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Minister to quit ahead of Wales' 2026 election

Getty Images Dawn Bowden, who has short purple hair and is wearing a black and white jacket and black top, holding up a red Wales football scarf and standing in the stands of a sports stadium, with swarms of other spectators in the seats behind herGetty Images
Bowden, pictured in her previous role as minister for sport, said it was a "great privilege" to represent her constituency for 10 years

A minister has announced she will be standing down ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.

Welsh government minister for children and social care Dawn Bowden told her Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituents on Friday the job had been a "great privilege" and it was an honour to be the first woman to be elected in the area in 2016.

The Welsh Labour politician added there would no longer be a Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency from 2026, with new boundaries meaning a larger area would be covered by six Members of the Senedd (MS).

"After much consideration, I have decided that I will not be a candidate in the 2026 elections," she said.

Bowden, who is originally from Bristol, took over the seat from Huw Lewis, who held the role for 17 years.

At the time, she was working as head of health at union Unison Cymru.

"In nearly 10 years as your MS, I have done my best to represent you, to promote the constituency and to support our local community," she told the public meeting in Merthyr Tydfil.

"As promised, I made my home in the constituency and I have run a highly visible constituency office to support the needs of constituents. I thank people for their warm welcome and the friendships we have found."

Prior to her current ministerial role, Bowden was deputy minister for arts and sport and chief whip.

Bowden said the Senedd changes signified a "new era" for Cardiff Bay - one she has decided to forgo in favour of more time with family.

"I look forward to more time with our grandchildren and with my family… I know, for too long they have had to take a back seat as I have dealt with the daily demands of politics and government."

Bowden added she was also "proud of the record of the Welsh government" and her part in it, citing policies such as free bus passes, free prescriptions and free hospital parking.

But her tenure has not been plain sailing.

Last year, when she was minister for sport, she requested an investigation which found she did not break the Ministerial Code, following a "misstatement" about the Welsh Rugby Union sexism scandal.

"I know that I could not solve every problem put before me but, I hope, people can accept that is not for any lack of effort," she said.

"The work goes on and I will, of course, continue to serve you and to do my best until the next election."