Stephen Kinnock has been named Welsh secretary in a Labour shake-up, with his father Neil Kinnock calling the move a delight and praising his service.
Stephen Kinnock has been named Welsh secretary in a Labour shake-up, taking on the Wales brief for the first time after Andy Burnham became prime minister on Monday. The Aberafan Maesteg MP, who had been serving as a health minister, steps into one of the government’s key cabinet jobs and replaces Cardiff East MP Jo Stevens.
The appointment drew an immediate family reaction from Lord Neil Kinnock, the former Labour leader, who said the news was “a delight.” Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, the 84-year-old said his son had earned the promotion through “a lifetime of action and service” and would now be able to push Welsh interests at the centre of UK government. Stephen Kinnock said the role was the “privilege of my life.”
Lord Kinnock said he and his son had spoken late on Monday night in what he called their “midnight conversation.” He said the new secretary of state would now be in a position to shape UK affairs in a way that benefits Wales. Stephen Kinnock, for his part, pledged to champion Wales inside government and to work across administrations to deliver for Welsh communities while building “a strong Wales within a strong United Kingdom.”
The change comes at a sensitive moment in Welsh politics, where questions over devolution continue to run through Labour and its rivals. Jo Stevens had faced criticism from some Welsh Labour politicians over her reluctance to back further powers for the Welsh government, including policing, and one former minister described her as “anti-devolution.”
“Stephen Kinnock has been named Welsh secretary in a Labour shake-up, with his father Neil Kinnock calling the move a delight and praising his service.”
Stevens, however, defended her record and said Wales had received its biggest budget settlement for public services in the history of devolution while she was in office. She said her time in the post had also seen the steel industry “saved and transformed for the future,” major public investment through new nuclear at Wylfa, a £14bn commitment for Welsh railways, and the best local growth fund settlement of any UK nation. Stevens also wished the new prime minister, her successor, and new Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates well, saying they would do a great job for the people of Wales.
Wales’ first minister pressed the new prime minister to turn promises on devolution into action and said he hoped for a positive and productive relationship with the new UK government. In his first call with Andy Burnham, Rhun ap Iorwerth called for Wales to gain control over policing, justice, rail and the Crown Estate. Downing Street said Burnham had spoken with the leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and wanted a “collaborative, practical and pragmatic” relationship with the devolved administrations.
Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts, congratulated Stephen Kinnock on the appointment even as she called the Welsh secretary role an “anachronism” that sits uneasily alongside devolution. She said Plaid hoped for a constructive relationship and wanted talks on devolving rail infrastructure, the Crown Estate, justice and policing, while also arguing that the party’s Senedd election victory in May gave it a mandate that should be respected. Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi described the last day as “brutal” for colleagues and said Burnham and Kinnock would need to reverse Labour’s historic defeat in the Senedd in May.
Stephen Kinnock, the son of Lord Neil Kinnock and former MEP Glenys Kinnock, was born in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, and has two children with former Danish prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. He was elected for Aberavon in the 2015 general election and later became a junior health minister for England when Labour returned to Westminster power in 2024, before his constituency was renamed Aberafan Maesteg. The wider reshuffle also brought in Vale of Glamorgan MP Kanishka Narayan as minister for artificial intelligence, while Torfaen MP Nick Thomas-Symonds said he was leaving government after serving as the UK’s chief negotiator with the European Union. For readers, this matters because the new Wales brief will shape how much power, funding and influence Wales gets inside a Labour government that is already under pressure to prove it can deliver.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Stephen Kinnock replacing as Welsh secretary?
He is replacing Cardiff East MP Jo Stevens. Kinnock had been serving as a health minister before taking the Wales brief.
What did Stephen Kinnock say about his new role?
He said it was the “privilege of my life.” He also pledged to champion Wales inside government and work across administrations for Welsh communities.
What devolution issues are being raised in response to the appointment?
Rhun ap Iorwerth called for Wales to gain control over policing, justice, rail and the Crown Estate. Plaid Cymru also wants talks on devolving those areas.
How did Jo Stevens respond to leaving the post?
She defended her record, saying Wales had received its biggest public-services budget settlement in devolution history. She also cited support for steel, Wylfa, Welsh rail funding, and local growth funding.
We value your privacy 🍪We use cookies for essential features and, if you allow it, to send you a notification whenever we publish a new story. See our Privacy Policy.
📨
Never Miss a Story
Get the headlines that matter delivered straight to your inbox.
📱 On iPhone: tap the Share icon, choose “Add to Home Screen”, then open TheTrueDefender from your Home Screen and tap 🔔 to turn on notifications. (Apple only allows notifications for saved web apps.)
📱 Add TheTrueDefender to your home screen for one-tap access.
