Summary

  • Mark Drakeford has faced his last First Minister's Questions at the Senedd and has signed his resignation letter to the King

  • He told the Senedd that he was proud of the Welsh assembly for its "mature progressive politics"

  • In his resignation speech he thanked the Welsh people, and his colleagues for their support during the "hardest and saddest" year after his wife Clare died suddenly last year

  • The Cardiff West MS became Welsh Labour leader and Wales’ fourth first minister in December 2018

  • Drakeford announced his resignation last December, saying that he always intended to serve for five years

  • The 69-year-old will be succeeded by Wales’ Economy Minister Vaughan Gething, after he beat Education Minister Jeremy Miles in a leadership election

  • As well as our live text coverage, you can also watch events by pressing Play at the top of the page

Live Reporting

Oliver Slow and Peter Shuttleworth

  1. Mark Drakeford's last day as Wales' first minister

    Welsh First Minister Mark DrakefordPA Media

    Mark Drakeford became Wales' first minister in 2018

    Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the last day in office for Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford, the most high profile politician in Wales since devolution in 1999.

    He will take part in his final first minister's questions in the Welsh Parliament at 13:30 GMT, before delivering a resignation statement a little later at about 15:45.

    Drakeford has played a crucial role in Welsh politics, thrust into the public spotlight during the Covid pandemic, although many of his recent policies, particularly around transport policies, have proved divisive.

    As well as our live text coverage, you can also watch events unfold by pressing play at the top of the page.