‘ I can think of no one better qualified to be the Assembly Member for Cardiff West than Mark Drakeford. I give you three main reasons.
First – he has been involved in the community and political life of Cardiff West for twenty five years, since he was first elected as a County Councillor in 1985 for Riverside, where he has lived for almost all his adult life, with his wife and three children.
Second – as a probation officer in Ely, a project leader for Barnardos in Caearu and later as a professor of social work and social policy, he has exceptional professional capabilties to represent and advance the interest of all his constituents, should he be elected.
Third – as a Senior Political Adviser to me during the time I was First Minister over nearly ten years, he knows more about how the Assembly works than anyone else in Wales.
In May’s Assembly elections, I’ll be working hard to help elect Mark as my successor in Cardiff West. I hope very much that he’ll have your support too.’
Rhodri Morgan Retiring AM for Cardiff West
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“I’ve known Mark for the last twenty five years, in politics and out of it. Whether working together as councillors for the Riverside Ward, running sessions for young people in Ely or campaigning against the Barrage I have seen, at first hand, his record of service to the Labour Party and to communities in Cardiff West. For the last ten years, of course, he has been at the heart of the devolution project in Wales, working directly with Rhodri Morgan in the First Minister’s office to put Labour policies into action.
As someone who lives in the constituency I will have a vote in selecting Labour’s candidate for Cardiff West.
Now that the shortlist has been drawn up I want you to know that I will definitely be voting for Mark, and hope that you will be too.”
Jane Davidson
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“As Health Minister, I know just how important the NHS is to Labour members and voters in Wales. For the last decade, Mark has been at the heart of our health policy-making – making the case for abolishing the internal market, bringing out-sourced services back into the NHS and putting primary care in the driving seat of our efforts to create a real health service here in Wales. We need him at the Assembly to go on shaping an authentically socialist agenda for Labour. I hope you will vote for him to be our candidate in Cardiff West.”
Edwina Hart
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“Having worked with Mark as a fellow councillor in Riverside, school governor and
community worker in Ely and for the past 10 years as our Special Advisor in the Assembly, I know what a great hard-working Assembly Member he would be for Cardiff West. His integrity, his commitment and his socialist principles are all exemplary and he has a remarkable political track record, which will be of great benefit in representing the rich diversity of Cardiff West. He will also make a significant contribution in the next decade of devolution in Wales.”
Jane Hutt
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“Mark is one the main architects of devolution. As a Minister I worked with him for 10 years and know at first hand how crucial Mark was in establishing and developing the Welsh Assembly. As the key adviser to Rhodri Morgan and other Ministers Mark’s influence in developing the ‘clear red water’ policy agenda of Welsh Labour was central. He had huge respect with everybody he worked with across the Assembly Government – with Ministers and civil servants. I know that he will make a great Assembly Member for Cardiff West and a very worthy successor to Rhodri, not only for Cardiff but for the whole of Wales.”
Andrew Davies
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“Cardiff West needs a Labour candidate who understands our family and the needs of our children’s family. We know we can trust Mark, and this is why we will be voting for him on 20th February”
Phyllis and Viv Sharp. Fairwater Branch
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“I’ll be voting for Mark because he has the knowledge and experience to be the sort of Assembly Member Cardiff West needs. I’ve known him at work in Ely and in the Council. He’s got an enormous appetite for hard work and for getting things done and, with an in-depth knowledge of social services, education and health, he’ll be able to operate on a Wales level, too”.
Cllr Brian Finn
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“I’ve seen Mark at work inside Cardiff West and in the Labour Party. His experience work with Rhodri at the Assembly is second to none. I’ll be voting for him because I think he is exactly the sort of Assembly member we need, and I hope that you will too”.
Cllr Sue Goddard. Ely Branch
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“I have known Mark, for nearly 20 years; his dedication to Labour values, enthusiasm for the party’s success and his loyalty to the cause will stand Cardiff West party members and constit
uents will continue the constituency’s role as a standard bearer in the Assembly.”
Richard Watson. Llandaff Branch
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“I worked with Mark in the last Cardiff council elections in Riverside. He is well known, well liked and well respected in all parts of South Riverside, and in Pontcanna, too.
At the next Assembly elections we need a candidate who can win votes for Labour in all parts of the constituency, and for me, Mark is that candidate.”
Syed Iqbal. Riverside Ward
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