The last Senedd session before May’s election was more sombre than usual.
The final session of the Welsh Parliament often tends to be more reflective than most but today members remembered those who have passed away over the past five years.
All three major parties have lost colleagues as Carl Sargeant, Steffan Lewis and Mohammad Asghar have all died in very different but no less tragic circumstances.
First Minister Mark Drakeford also paid tribute to his friend, mentor and predecessor Rhodri Morgan who died in 2017.
Morgan is probably Wales’ most important and influential First Minister and Mark Drakeford said it was odd to have a devolved election without “the person who was probably personally the most significant figure in establishing devolution as we have it today.”
Today was also a farewell for Drakeford’s more immediate predecessor as First Minister, Carwyn Jones, who is standing down at this election. Having taken plenty of First Minister’s Questions during his nine year tenure as FM, Jones delivered his final question to the Welsh Parliament this afternoon.
There was also some of the robust party point scoring you’d expect this close to election day as Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price and Labour’s Drakeford clashed over free school meals.