Carwyn: I’ll quit Welsh Assembly in 2021
CARWYN Jones has confirmed that he will not be seeking reelection as AM for Bridgend in 2021.
Last month he announced that he would be stepping down as First Minister in December, and it was widely assumed that he would not be standing again at the next National Assembly election.
Last night Mr Jones informed the General Committee of Bridgend Constituency Labour Party of his decision.
He said: “It’s been the greatest honour for me to have been First Minister of Wales but it’s been a particular pleasure to have represented my home area for what will be 22 years by 2021. To have been the first person to represent Bridgend in Wales’ first elected parliament is something I will always cherish.
“The people of Bridgend have supported me in five elections and I owe everything that I’ve done in public life to the support they’ve given me since 1999.
“As I will be standing down as First Minister in December I think it’s right that I should move on from the Assembly at the next election.
“I’d like to thank the people of Bridgend, the local Labour Party and, of course, my family for the support they’ve given me over the years.
“I’ll be looking at other things to do now and politics certainly hasn’t seen the end of me but it’s time for a new candidate to come forward and pick up the baton.”
Many will see Mr Jones’ reference to politics not seeing the end of him as a hint that he may accept the peerage that he will undoubtedly be offered as a retiring First Minister.
His predecessor, Rhodri Morgan, turned down a peerage.
Even before Welsh politics was turned upside down by the death of Carl Sargeant last November, there had been a widespread assumption in political circles that Mr Jones was likely to stand down as First Minister in 2019 to give his successor time to bed in before the next election.
In June last year it emerged that he was renting a flat in Cardiff, fuelling speculation that he was planning to leave the Assembly at the next election.
At the time a spokesman for Mr Jones said: “The First Minister spends a substantial amount of time in Cardiff carrying out official duties.
“While he and his family continue to live in Bridgend, a small rented property in Cardiff, which is funded personally, helps balance the demands of family life with governing Wales.”
A source close to the First Minister confirmed that Mr Jones’ family home in Bridgend, which he shares with his wife, Lisa, and their two children, had been up for sale for some time, but had not been sold and was not under offer.
Mr Jones’ decision not to seek reelection means that Bridgend Labour Party will have to select a new Assembly candidate.
There is not likely to be a shortage of would-be successors.
In 2016 Mr Jones secured 45.3% of the vote and a comfortable majority of 5,623 over the second-placed Conservative candidate.