Ken Skates | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Cabinet Secretary for Transport andNorth Wales | |
| Assumed office 21 March 2024 | |
| First Minister | |
| Preceded by | Lesley Griffiths |
| Cabinet Secretary for the Economy | |
| In office 17 July 2024 – 11 September 2024 | |
| First Minister | |
| Preceded by | Jeremy Miles |
| Succeeded by | Rebecca Evans |
| Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales | |
| In office 19 May 2016 – 13 May 2021 | |
| First Minister | Carwyn Jones Mark Drakeford |
| Preceded by | Edwina Hart |
| Succeeded by | Vaughan Gething |
| Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism | |
| In office 12 September 2014 – 19 May 2016 | |
| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Preceded by | John Griffiths |
| Succeeded by | Dafydd Elis-Thomas |
| Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology | |
| In office June 2013 – September 2014 | |
| First Minister | Carwyn Jones |
| Preceded by | Jeff Cuthbert |
| Succeeded by | Julie James |
| Member of the Senedd forClwyd South | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Karen Sinclair |
| Majority | 2,953 (21.1%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kenneth Christian Skates (1976-04-02)2 April 1976 (age 48) Wrexham, Wales |
| Political party | Welsh Labour |
| Alma mater | Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge |
| Website | www |
Kenneth Christian Skates (born 2 April 1976)[1] is aWelsh Labour politician who has served asCabinet Secretary for Transport andNorth Wales since March 2024.[2] Skates has represented the constituency ofClwyd South in theSenedd since the election of 2011. He is an alumnus of theUniversity of Cambridge, and worked as a journalist prior to becoming a politician. In September 2014 he became thedeputy minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport. From May 2016 to December 2018 he was the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills, and was the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales until he stood down on 13 May 2021.[3] He held Economy, Transport and North Wales position again between July and September 2024 when he assumed the economy portfolio.[4]
Skates was born inWrexham, Wales, and attended Ysgol y Waun in Gwernaffield and theAlun School,Mold, where he studiedA-levels in physics, maths, English and politics. After achieving four A grades he went toSidney Sussex College, Cambridge to study social and political sciences, specialising in European regional policy and economics.[1][5]
After graduating, Skates took a gap-period in theUnited States, before joiningThe Leader (Wrexham) newspaper. He studied for his NVQ in journalism atYale College, Wrexham, and then went freelance working for theDaily Express.[6]
Whilst working as a freelance journalist, Skates began working as office manager forMark Tami,Welsh Labour MP forAlyn and Deeside.[6] Skates was the lead Labour candidate for theNorth Wales regional seat in 2007 but wasn't elected. In 2011 he stood and was elected with 42% of the vote in Clwyd South,[7] and was re-elected in 2016.
In 2012 he was one of four MSs to stand up in theSenedd chamber to talk about their experiences withmental health problems.[5]
In June 2013, Skates was appointed byWelsh First MinisterCarwyn Jones as Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology.[8] In a reshuffle in September 2014 he was madeDeputy Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport in September 2014,[9] replacingJohn Griffiths.[10]
Following his re-election as MS for Clwyd South in the May 2016 Senedd elections, Ken Skates was promoted to Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills in the Welsh Government.
In the formation of the Drakeford government in December 2018, Skates was appointed Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales. After theMay 2021 Senedd elections, Skates stepped down from the government, and his role was split into two.[11]Vaughan Gething became the new Minister for the Economy, whileLesley Griffiths took over responsibility for North Wales as the new Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales.[12]
He was re-appointedCabinet Secretary for Transport andNorth Wales in March 2024.[2] He also held theeconomy portfolio from July and September 2024 following the resignation of that portfolio's holder.[4][13]
Media related toKen Skates at Wikimedia Commons| Senedd | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the Senedd forClwyd South 2011–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology 2013–2014 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism 2014–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Transport and North Wales 2016–2021 | Succeeded byas Minister for the Economy |
| Succeeded byas Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales | ||
