Mark Drakeford announces he’s quitting Welsh Parliament at next election

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has said he will quit his seat at the next election, confirming his final retirement from frontline politics altogether. Mr Drakeford had previously said he would resign as First Minister by the end of 2024, but in a new interview at a Welsh festival he refused to say at what point before the 2026 Senedd election he would stand down. He said it is “important to have a refresh”. “I think it is difficult for those who will be doing the work in the future to have people like me sitting behind them. “I don’t want to do that. I think of it like Tony Benn – when he decided to leave the House of Commons, he said ‘I’m going to stop being an MP in order to spend more time in politics’.” He added: “I’m not going to be a Member of the Senedd after 2026 but I am not going to step back from the debate or stop thinking about Wales’ future.”