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Lynne Neagle

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Not to be confused with Lindsay Naegle.

Lynne Neagle
MS
Official portrait, 2024
Cabinet Secretary for Education
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 March 2024
First MinisterVaughan Gething
Eluned Morgan
Preceded byJeremy Miles
Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing
In office
13 May 2021 – 21 March 2024
First MinisterMark Drakeford
Preceded byThe Baroness Morgan of Ely
Succeeded byJayne Bryant
Member of the Senedd
for Torfaen
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 1999
Preceded byOffice Created
Majority5,321 (22.2%)
Personal details
Born (1968-01-18) 18 January 1968 (age 56)
Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
Political partyWelsh Labour Co-operative
SpouseHuw Lewis
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Reading
OccupationPolitical advisor
WebsiteWelsh Labour

Lynne Neagle (born 18 January 1968) is a Welsh Labour & Co-operative[1] politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Education since 2024.[2] Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales, Neagle has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for the constituency of Torfaen since the Senedd was established in 1999.

Background

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Neagle was educated at Cyfarthfa High School, Merthyr Tydfil, and the University of Reading, where she read French and Italian.

She is a former Voluntary Sector Carer and Careers Development Officer. Neagle was also a research assistant to Glenys Kinnock MEP[3] from 1994 to 1997.[4]

Political career

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First and Second Senedds (1999-2007)

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Neagle was elected to the Senedd in 1999 as a Labour candidate to represent Torfaen. Neagle was an ally of Alun Michael during his leadership of the Welsh Labour party.[5]

Later in the first term, she was appointed to the role of Chair of the Welsh Labour group in the Senedd.[6] She initially opposed coalition with the Welsh Liberal Democrats, and supported a motion that would have required any coalition from the 2003 Assembly election onward to go to a vote of Welsh Labour members.[7] However, she later said that the 'alternative was worse' and supported the formation of a coalition.[8]

She was occasionally critical of policy of the Morgan government, including the party's health policy, around a lack of targets[6][9] and around funding,[10] and the elimination of school league tables.[11]

She was re-elected in 2003 with a majority of 6,964 votes.[12] She was a member of the Standards committee during the Second Assembly.[13]

Third Senedd (2007-2011)

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Neagle was critical of the creation of a coalition with Plaid Cymru.[14][15][16] In emails leaked to the Western Mail at the time, she stated she wanted "no stone left unturned" in terms of avoiding a Labour-Plaid coalition, by re-engaging the Welsh Liberal Democrats in talks.[17] She wrote to criticise the coalition in the Western Mail, saying "The facts as I see them in the One Wales document points to a fundamental and detrimental change in direction for Welsh politics. They are not facts I can ignore."[15][18]

Neagle was appointed a member of the Finance committee in the Third Assembly.[19] She was also appointed as one of four Labour AMs to sit on the steering group of the 2007 All Wales Convention, on Wales' constitutional future, chaired by Sir Emyr Jones Parry.[20]

In 2009 Neagle proposed to make the MMR vaccine compulsory, amid an outbreak of Measles in Wales.[21][22]

She supported her husband, Huw Lewis's effort to become leader of the Welsh Labour Party in the 2009 leadership contest.[23] He was not successful, with Carwyn Jones being selected to lead the party.[24]

Ahead of the 2011 elections she was adopted as a Labour & Co-operative candidate.[25]

Fourth and Fifth Senedd (2011-2021)

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Neagle was re-elected at the 2011 Assembly elections, with a majority of 6,088 votes.[26] She was appointed to the children and young people and health and social care committees for the fourth assembly.[27]

At the 2016 Senedd election she was again re-elected, with a majority of 4,498 votes.[28] She was appointed to chair the children, young people and education committee.[29][4]

Neagle was one of a number of AMs to back a statement calling for the UK to remain within the European Economic Area.[30]

She supported Vaughan Gething in the 2018 Welsh Labour leadership election.[31]

Sixth Senedd (2021-)

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Neagle was re-elected at the 2021 Senedd election, with a majority of 5,321 votes.[32] Neagle was appointed as Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing by First Minister Mark Drakeford shortly after.[33]

Neagle supported Vaughan Gething in the February-March 2024 Welsh Labour leadership election.[34] After Gething won the leadership election, Neagle was appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Education in the Gething government.[35]

Personal life

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Neagle is married to Huw Lewis, the former Senedd Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.[36] They have two children, James and Sam.[37]

References

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  1. ^ "Lynne Neagle MS". senedd.wales.
  2. ^ "First Minister Vaughan Gething announces new Welsh Government Cabinet | GOV.WALES". www.gov.wales. 21 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  3. ^ "TORFAEN: Constituency profile". South Wales Argus. 28 April 2011.
  4. ^ a b Mulholland, Hélène (13 November 2018). "Lynne Neagle: 'Building resilience in young people is vital'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  5. ^ Lyons, Jamie (10 February 2000). "Labour whips resign as Michael goes". Press Association.
  6. ^ a b Betts, Clive (15 February 2001). "Steady as you go, Morgan Cautions". Western Mail. p. 8.
  7. ^ "Labour grassroots to rebel against coalition". Western Mail. 27 February 2001. p. 2.
  8. ^ "'No alternative to coalition'". Western Mail. 5 March 2001. p. 8.
  9. ^ Betts, Clive (14 February 2001). "AMs refuse to back strategy for NHS". Western Mail. p. 5.
  10. ^ "Pressure mounts of Hutt to boost funding to cut waiting lists". Western Mail. 13 February 2003. p. 9.
  11. ^ "Schools tables row". Daily Post (North Wales). 2 November 2001. p. 3.
  12. ^ "BBC NEWS | VOTE 2003 | Torfaen". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  13. ^ Shipton, Martin (5 July 2004). "'Shocking' email intervention". Western Mail. p. 2. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  14. ^ "Senior MPs condemn Plaid deal". BBC News. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  15. ^ a b Davies, Daniel (4 July 2007). "Neagle breaks ranks over coalition deal". Press Association Newswire: Wales.
  16. ^ Shipton, Martin; Brindley, Madeleine (29 June 2007). "Labour row over coalition deal". The Western Mail. p. 2.
  17. ^ Shipton, Martin (15 June 2007). "Emails expose Labour rift". The Western Mail. p. 1. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Opposition to Plaid deal spreads". 4 July 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  19. ^ Livingstone, Tomos (3 December 2007). "'Rethink Budget or NHS and council cash could run dry'". The Western Mail. p. 1.
  20. ^ Livingstone, Tomos (18 December 2007). "'We must engage with the people of Wales over a referendum'". The Western Mail. p. 6.
  21. ^ Brindley, Madeleine (2 June 2009). "Support grows for AM's big to make MMR jabs compulsory". The Western Mail. p. 14. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Call for debate on compulsory MMR". BBC News. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  23. ^ Williamson, David (3 October 2009). "The race is on as would-be leaders bid for support". The Western Mail. p. 4.
  24. ^ Powys, Betsan (1 December 2009). "It's Carwyn". BBC. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Annual Report 2011". Co-operative Party. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  26. ^ "BBC News - Election 2011 - Wales - Torfaen". BBC News. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  27. ^ Wright, Benjamin (22 June 2011). "Full list of committees". Press Association Newswire: Wales.
  28. ^ "Election results for Torfaen, 6 May 2016". business.senedd.wales. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  29. ^ Craig, Ian (29 June 2016). "Gwent AMs to head Assembly committees". South Wales Argus.
  30. ^ Williamson, David (26 February 2018). "Labour backs UK staying in customs union on heels of a Welsh warning". The Western Mail. pp. 6–7.
  31. ^ "Labour AMs back Vaughan Gething for Welsh Labour leadership in open letter". ITV News Wales. 25 May 2018.
  32. ^ "Election results for Torfaen, 6 May 2021". business.senedd.wales. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  33. ^ "Written Statement: Cabinet appointments to the new Welsh Government (13 May 2021)". Welsh Government. 13 May 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  34. ^ "Vaughan Gething announces Welsh first minister bid". BBC News. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  35. ^ Mosalski, Ruth (21 March 2024). "Vaughan Gething confirms new-look Welsh Government cabinet". Wales Online. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  36. ^ Shipton, Martin (21 May 2009). "Married AMs speak out over second home expense claims". WalesOnline.
  37. ^ "Lewis pitches as 'radical' leader". BBC News. 9 October 2009.
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Offices held

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Senedd
Preceded by
(new post)
 Member of the Senedd for Torfaen
1999–present 		Incumbent


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