First Minister Mark Drakeford has reshuffled his cabinet and made his longtime friend and ally, Jane Hutt, the Chief Whip. In an statement published by the Welsh Government on Tuesday, May 2, it was announced that the minister for social justice will maintain her role as well as becoming the new chief whip. The Senedd Member, who has served the Vale of Glamorgan since 1999, will also assume a Welsh Government ministerial liaison role for the cooperation qgreement in which she will continue to support the work with Plaid Cymru as they enter the second half of their three-year agreement.
In an interview with the BBC in April 2018 Ms Hutt said she and Mr Drakeford "go back a long way" as both of them served as members of the former South Glamorgan County Council. Mr Drakeford also served as Ms Hutt's special adviser when she was the health minister between 1999 and 2005. When Carwyn Jones announced that he was stepping down as First Minister in 2018 Ms Hutt endorsed Mr Drakeford, who was the finance secretary at the time, to lead the party, stating that he would be a "blessing" to Wales.
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Her latest appointment isn't the first time the Labour politician has served as chief whip. From 2005 to 2007 she was minister for the assembly business and chief whip. In 2016 she was appointed leader of the house and chief whip at the start of the fifth Assembly. She was appointed the role once again in December 2018 when she also took on the role of deputy minister.
Ms Hutt will replace Dawn Bowden MS as chief whip. She was appointed to the role in May 2021. In a statement released with the announcement Mr Drakeford said: "This written statement alerts members to a change in ministerial responsibilities within the cabinet. The minister for social justice will become the minister for social justice and chief whip.
"She will also assume a Welsh Government ministerial liaison role for the cooperation agreement to continue to support progress against all the commitments as we enter the second half of the three-year agreement with Plaid Cymru. I want to put on record my thanks to the deputy minister for arts, sport, and tourism for her work and support in the role of chief whip. The updated list of ministerial responsibilities also sets out a small number of changes between the rural affairs and climate change portfolios."
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