The former First Minister discusses his political career and the future of the government in Wales
By Alice Collyer, Sam Riley and Hannah Walton-Hughes
“I’M not interested in legacy,” said Mark Drakeford when asked about his 30-year-political career.
When pushed however, Mr Drakeford said he was most proud of the change to organ donations in Wales.
“There are lives that have been saved and lives that have been changed as a result of that legislation,” he said.
In 2015, Wales led the UK in changing the system, meaning that people had to opt out of organ donation instead of opting in.
“It reflects that sense of a Welsh political culture, where we are interested in the welfare of others, as well as the interests of ourselves,” said the former First Minister.
Despite his lengthy career, Mr Drakeford became a more prominent figure while leading Wales through the Covid pandemic as First Minister.
Mr Drakeford had a tense relationship with the UK Prime Minister at the time, Boris Johnson, once describing him as an “absent” football manager.
The current Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language has announced that he will be stepping down at the next Senedd election, one of over a quarter of Labour MSs to do so.
Mr Drakeford did not want to make any predictions regarding the election, but acknowledged that the longer a government is in charge, the louder the calls for change.
“The longer you are in power, the more potent the time for a change slogan becomes,” he said.
Recent polls have indicated a potential end to Welsh Labour’s 25-year streak in power.
On the number of older Welsh Labour politicians standing aside, Mr Drakeford said: “The Senedd will have that refresh that I think it needs. There is a generational shift going on here.
“The first 25 years have been about establishing the institution, creating that political culture, demonstrating to people in Wales that we are capable of taking our own destinies into our own hands.
“And now it’s the next generation of politicians who will be responsible for taking that forward. And I think that’s a very exciting moment.”
Mr Drakeford’s career has involved being an advisor to Rhodri Morgan (Welsh First Minister 2000-2009), serving as Health Secretary, and also introducing the controversial 20mph legislation.
On top of all of this, many fondly remember his love of cheese, as expressed during the pandemic.
He joked that some people still, to this day, send him cheese.
