Mark Drakeford announces he's stepping down as Welsh Labour leader
Mark Drakeford has announced he is standing down as Welsh First Minister.
The Labour politician's resignation triggers a contest to find his successor.
Mr Drakeford, who has been Wales's leader since December 2018, said he hoped his replacement could be in place before Easter next year.
At a news conference in Cardiff, he said: "When I stood for election as leader of Welsh Labour, I said I would stand down during the current Senedd term. That time has now come."
Mr Drakeford's poll ratings have taken a hit in recent months, while he has faced a backlash for policies including a widespread 20mph speed limit on Welsh roads.
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Mr Drakeford said there would be "plenty of time for political obituaries and retrospection once I've ceased to be First Minister, but not before".
But he added: "In a five-year period, which has seen Wales deal with austerity, Brexit, the Covid pandemic, the climate crisis, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and four different prime ministers - so far - there will be lots to reflect upon."
He said he would "continue to be fully focused on delivering the promises we made to people across Wales in the last Senedd election" until he leaves office.
Mr Drakeford said: "The next Welsh leader and first minister will, I hope, have an opportunity which has not come my way and that is to work with a newly-elected Labour government in London. And I will work as hard as I can to see that Labour government elected."
It comes after a YouGov poll of 1,004 Welsh voters for ITV Cymru Wales and Cardiff University earlier this month found Mr Drakeford's popularity is at an 18-month low.
Some 56 percent of respondents said he was doing a bad job.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wished Mr Drakeford "all the best as he moves on from his many years of public service".
"We will continue to work closely with the Welsh Government to build on our joint work to spread opportunity for people across Wales," he said.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Drakeford was a "titan" of Welsh politics.
Sir Keir previously hailed his administration as the "blueprint for what Labour could do in government across the UK" but declined to repeat the claim ahead of Labour's conference in October.
Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies said: “I wish Mark well as he stands down from the helm.
“While we may have different visions for Wales, I know I'm joined by colleagues in holding a huge amount of respect for his dedication to the job of First Minister.
"It’s important, however, with this announcement that there is no distraction from the really important job of delivering for the people of Wales.
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“Labour politicians jockeying for the role of First Minister must not detract from this.”
Mr Drakeford was first elected to the Senedd in 2011 as the Member for Cardiff West.
He served in various ministerial roles from 2013 under the leadership of Carwyn Jones, before succeeding him as First Minister and Welsh Labour leader in 2018.
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