Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 09:36, 6 September 2021

Julie JamesMS
James in 2011
Minister for Climate Change
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 May 2021
First Minister	Mark Drakeford
Preceded by	Office established
Minister for Housing and Local Government
In office 13 December 2018 – 13 May 2021
First Minister	Mark Drakeford
Preceded by	Alun Davies
Succeeded by	Rebecca Evans
Leader of the House Chief Government Whip
In office 3 November 2017 – 13 December 2018
First Minister	Carwyn Jones
Preceded by	Jane Hutt
Succeeded by	Jane Hutt & Rebecca Evans
Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology
In office 11 September 2014 – 3 November 2017
First Minister	Carwyn Jones
Preceded by	Ken Skates
Succeeded by	Lee Waters
Member of the Senedd for Swansea West
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2011
Preceded by	Andrew Davies
Majority	6,521 (27.2%)
Personal details
Born	(1958-02-25) 25 February 1958 (age 66) Swansea, Wales
Political party	Labour
Spouse	David
Children	3
Relatives	Richard David James (brother)
Alma mater	University of Sussex Polytechnic of Central London Inns of Court
Profession	Barrister, Civil Servant, Politician
Website	Campaign Website

Julie James MS (born February 1958) is a Welsh Labour politician serving as Minister for Climate Change since 2021. James has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Swansea West since 2011. She served as Minister for Housing and Local Government from 2018 to 2021.

Early life

James was born in Swansea, and was raised in various places around the world with her family. Her parents had married young and they did not have more children until she was 8. Her sister, 8 years younger, lives in Swansea and her brother, 13 years younger, is the musician Richard D James (known as Aphex Twin). At the age of sixteen she joined the Labour Party and was the first of her family to study at university.

Professional career

James first studied American Studies & History at University of Sussex, graduating in 1980. She then studied law at the Polytechnic of Central London, graduating in 1982, then went on to the Inns of Court School of Law in London to train as a barrister, passing the bar in 1983.

Her career started working as a policy lawyer with the London Borough of Camden. She then moved back to Swansea to raise her three children and start work for West Glamorgan County Council as the Assistant County Secretary (Legal Services).

James later worked for the City and County of Swansea Council, where her final post was Assistant Chief Executive (Governance). She left in protest of the signing of a contract by the Liberal Democrats which she thought to have wasted ‘millions of pounds’. She went on to join a law practice Clarkslegal LLP specialising in Environmental and Constitutional law.

Political career

On 5 May 2011, James was elected as Assembly Member representing Swansea West.

She sat on several committees, including 'Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee', 'Enterprise and Business Committee' and 'Environment and Sustainability Committee'. She has chaired the procurement and common fisheries task and finish groups

On 11 September 2014 she was appointed Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology during a reshuffle by Carwyn Jones replacing Ken Skates who was appointed Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.

On 5 May 2016 James was re-elected as the Assembly Member for Swansea West by a higher majority than her previous term and was tipped at the time to be a likely candidate for a cabinet position.

On 3 November 2017 she was promoted to the Cabinet as Leader of the House & Chief Whip.

On 13 December 2018, following the election of Mark Drakeford to the position of leader of Welsh Labour and therefore First Minister, Julie was appointed Minister for Housing and Local Government.

References

1. "Julie JAMES - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
2. ^ "Wales elections > Swansea West". BBC News. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2011.
3. "Julie James | The Welsh Labour Party". Welshlabour.org.uk. 27 February 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
4. ^ "Swansea West – Welsh Assembly constituency – Elections 2016". BBC News. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
5. "Julie James MS". senedd.wales. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
6. "Tragedy became Sliding Doors moment for politician". BBC News. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
7. Eede, Christian (5 August 2021). "Wales' new Climate Change Minister is Aphex Twin's sister". DJ Mag. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
8. "Walescast - When we met Julie James in the park... - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
9. ^ "About Julie James AM – Assembly Member Website". juliejamesam.co.uk. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
10. "All About Julie – Campaign Website". swanseawest.wales. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
11. "Facebook Campaign Page". Facebook.com. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
12. "Julie James, Swansea West – Welsh Labour". Welshlabour.wales. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
13. "Leighton Andrews rejoins cabinet in reshuffle". 11 September 2014 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
14. "New Cabinet announced by First Minister – Welsh Government". gov.wales. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
15. "Which politicians are in the frame for promotion to Carwyn Jones' new Cabinet". Wales Online. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
16. "Welsh Government cabinet reshuffle: Who is in and out?". BBC News.
17. "Wales' new first minister Mark Drakeford appoints his team". 13 December 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.

External links

• National Assembly for Wales
• Political office website
• Election campaign website
• Welsh Labour profile

Offices held

• 1957 births
• Living people
• Welsh Labour members of the Senedd
• Wales AMs 2011–2016
• Wales MSs 2021–2026
• Politicians from Swansea