‘Next Steps for Devolution: Politics Plus Finance’

First Minister Carwyn Jones.

The Institute of Welsh Politics is delighted to welcome Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales to deliver its 12th Annual Lecture on Monday 14th November 2011. The lecture is entitled ‘Next Steps for Devolution: Politics Plus Finance’.

Carwyn Jones was born in 1967 and educated at Brynteg Comprehensive School, Bridgend, University of Wales, Aberystwyth and Inns of Court School of Law, London.

Prior to his election to the National Assembly for Wales in 1999, he was a barrister in chambers in Swansea specialising in Criminal, Family and Personal Injury Law, and a professional tutor at Cardiff University Law School.

He has been a Bridgend County Borough Councillor and was Chair of the County Borough Council Labour Group. He is also a member of Amnesty International, Unison, Unite the Union and the Fabian Society.

He has been a Labour Party member since 1987 and played an active role in the 1997 ‘Yes for Wales’ referendum campaign.
Carwyn Jones was appointed as a Deputy Secretary in March 2000 and replaced Christine Gwyther as Agriculture and Rural Development Secretary in July 2000. In March 2002 the role of Business Minister was added to his Rural Affairs portfolio, and in June 2002 he also became Minister for Open Government.

In May 2003 he was appointed Minister for the Environment, Planning and the Countryside. In May 2007 he became Minister for Education, Culture and the Welsh Language; from July 2007 he was Counsel General and Leader of the House.

Following the retirement of Rhodri Morgan AM in December 2009, and after his victory in the Labour party leadership context, Carwyn Jones was appointed First Minister of Wales. He was appointed to the Privy Council on 9 June 2010.
Speaking ahead of the lecture, Professor Roger Scully, Director of the Institute of Welsh Politics, said that he was “delighted that Carwyn Jones had agreed to deliver the Institute of Welsh Politics’ Annual Lecture for 2011.”

“Carwyn is not only the party leader who led his party to its strongest-ever National Assembly election result in May, he is also the First Minister during perhaps the most important and difficult time in the life of the National Assembly – the man charged with leading Wales through a period of financial austerity unprecedented under devolution, and through the continuing further development of devolution and evolution of Wales’ relationship with the rest of the UK.”

“We eagerly anticipate hearing what he has to say about these issues”.

The Institute of Welsh Politics
The Institute of Welsh Politics is an independent and non-partisan research centre within the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. It was established to promote the academic study and analysis of all aspects of Welsh politics. Reflecting its institutional home within the oldest Department of International Relations in the world, the work of the Institute focuses not only on the political process within Wales, but also on Wales' political and political-economic relations within Britain, Europe and the wider world.

This is the twelfth Institute of Welsh Politics Annual Lecture.  Previous speakers include two First Ministers of the National Assembly of Wales, Alun Michael MP and Rhodri Morgan AM, as well as Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, Sir Simon Jenkins, Professor Tom Nairn, Professor Robert Hazell, Professor Michael Keating, Kirsty Williams A.M., Huw Lewis AM., and Adam Price MP.

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