Huw Irranca-Davies MS

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs

Personal history

Huw is married to Joanna Irranca-Davies (they combined their surnames Davies and Irranca on marrying, becoming Irranca-Davies). They have three sons, and are all proud of their Welsh and Italian family roots. Born into a strong Labour Party family, he has long been a grass-roots campaigner and active in community regeneration.

Born in 1963, he is an alumni of Gowerton Comprehensive School, Crewe and Alsager College (BA Hons), and Swansea Institute of Higher Education (MSc).

A keen walker (Vice-President of Ramblers Cymru) and “everyday cyclist on a sit-up-and-beg-bike”, he also relaxes watching his sons playing rugby or reading historical novels (and never anything political!).

Professional background

Huw Irranca-Davies worked in public and private sector management and as a Senior Lecturer in Higher Education before entering politics. In February 2002 he was elected as the Labour MP for Ogmore in a parliamentary by-election, a seat which he held until 2016 when he was duly elected as the Assembly Member for Ogmore at the National Assembly for Wales.

Political history

Huw was elected as Labour MP for Ogmore in 2002.  Huw served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ministers in DWP, Northern Ireland and DCMS, as a Government Whip, as Under-Secretary of State for Wales; and as Environment Minister.

From 2010 he served as Shadow Energy Minister, and then as Shadow Minister for Food, Farming and Rural Affairs. In May 2015, he was elected as the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, a position held till May 2016 when he was elected to the National Assembly of Wales – now Senedd Cymru.

In the Fifth Senedd he initially served as the Chair of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee before becoming the Minister for Social Services and Children, then at the request of the First Minister became Chair of the Regional Investment Wales Steering Group, the European Advisory Group and the PMC committee overseeing the spending of EU funding streams in Wales.

During the Sixth Senedd he has held a number of positions, including Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, a member of the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee, Chair of the Strategic Forum for Regional Investment in Wales and also Chaired the Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform.  He was also a member of a number of Cross Party Groups, holding Chair and Vice Chair roles for several.

In March 2024 Huw was appointed to the Welsh Government as Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.