EditorJeremy Miles to stand down from Senedd at next election
Mr Miles, who narrowly lost out to Vaughan Gething in the Welsh Labour leadership contest last year, said it had been the “honour of his life” to serve the constituency since first being elected in 2016.
In a letter to his local Labour Party, he said the decision had not been easy but that he wanted more time to balance work with personal commitments.
“Being in frontline politics as a Member of the Senedd and as a Cabinet member for most of the last decade is all‑consuming and rightly takes precedence over so much else in life. Over the summer recess I have had the opportunity to reflect and have come to the conclusion that the end of this Senedd term is the right time for me to stand down, to seek a different challenge – one which may allow me more time to better balance work with my commitments to the people in my life.”
The 54‑year‑old, currently serving as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said he had “sought to live up to” the responsibility placed on him and hoped his work in the Senedd and through thousands of constituency cases had “made some difference.”
He thanked local Labour members for their “unwavering support” and said he had been inspired by the “compassion and dedication” of people in Neath.
Mr Miles highlighted his work on local transport, housing, access to health services, and support for small businesses, as well as efforts to build an economic future “which gives our young people ambition and opportunity.”
A decade in frontline politics
Born in Pontarddulais, Mr Miles worked as a solicitor in London and held senior roles in the media industry before returning to Wales. He became a trustee and secretary of the Bevan Foundation before being selected as Labour and Co‑operative candidate for Neath in 2015.
He was elected to the Senedd the following year, succeeding Gwenda Thomas, and has since held a series of Cabinet posts. In March 2024, he came within a whisker of becoming First Minister, losing the Labour leadership contest to Vaughan Gething by just 51.7% to 48.3%.
His decision not to stand again means Jeremy Miles will complete his term as Member of the Senedd for Neath in 2026. After that, the seat itself will disappear under boundary changes, with Neath becoming part of a larger South West Wales region. From the next election, all Members of the Senedd will be elected from party lists in these new multi‑member regions, rather than as individual constituency representatives.
Andrew Guilford