Drakeford shakes up his dream team

MARK Drakeford has made bold changes to his government, not only in terms of personnel but also in the range of portfolios that are covered.

In the wake of his party’s election victory last week, it would have been easy to adopt a minimalist approach to change, simply replacing the previous Liberal Democrat and Independent ministers who have left the Senedd.

But the First Minister has signalled his determination to refresh the administration of which he has command.

Two of the new appointments make clear where his priorities lie.

Wales now has a dedicated Cabinet Minister for Climate Change and another for Social Justice.

Both also have deputy ministers to help them deliver on these two crucial themes that will to a large extent define the government’s success over the coming five years.

As a team, Julie James and Lee Waters will be responsible for a strategy aimed at seriously reducing Wales’ carbon emissions.

For decades there has been an ambition to tackle climate change, and progress has certainly been made in certain areas, such as reductions in plastic bag usage, for example.

But holding politicians to account has not been made easy by putting target dates so far into the future that they will be long gone when the day of reckoning finally arrives.

It’s important that measurable improvements happen during this Senedd term.

A policy area especially close to Mr Drakeford’s heart is social justice, in which he has a long professional as well as political background.

One of the key areas of this agenda will be the social partnership legislation whose intention is to improve the pay and working conditions of those who work for companies that do business with, or receive financial help from, the Welsh Government.

The ministers responsible – Jane Hutt and Hannah Blythyn – must ensure that tangible improvements occur in the lives of ordinary people.

And for the new Ministers for the Economy, Health and Education, the immediate need to get to grips with their briefs is obvious as the challenges Wales faces are multiple and each so complex.

So much of the nation’s Covid-19 recovery and future hinges on this team’s decisions. All the new appointees deserve our best wishes for the challenges ahead, however we voted.