Hannah Blythyn

Hannah Blythyn MS
Official portrait, 2019
Minister for Social Partnership[a]
In office 13 May 2021 – 16 May 2024
First Minister	Mark Drakeford Vaughan Gething
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Sarah Murphy
Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government
In office 14 December 2018 – 13 May 2021
First Minister	Mark Drakeford
Preceded by	Rebecca Evans
Succeeded by	Office abolished
Deputy Minister for Environment
In office 3 November 2017 – 13 December 2018
First Minister	Carwyn Jones
Member of the Senedd for Delyn
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2016
Preceded by	Sandy Mewies
Majority	3,711 (14.1%)
Personal details
Born	(1979-04-17) 17 April 1979 (age 45)
Nationality	Welsh
Political party	Welsh Labour and Co-operative Party
Alma mater	De Montfort University City, University of London
Occupation	Trade Unionist, Politician

Hannah Blythyn (born 17 April 1979^[1][2]) is a Welsh politician who served as the Minister for Social Partnership in the Welsh Government from 2021 to 2024.^[3] She was previously the Environment Minister from 2017 to 2018 and the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government from 2018 to 2021. A member of Welsh Labour and Co-operative Party, she has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Delyn since 2016.^[4]

Early life and education

Hannah Blythyn was born on 17 April 1979.^[5] Blythyn is a proud North Walian^[6] and grew up in a working-class community in Connah's Quay, North Wales.^[7]

Blythyn went to St Richard Gwyn school in Flint.^[8] After leaving school, she studied English Literature at De Montfort University in Leicester.^[9] Blythyn also has a Masters in International Politics and Human Rights from City University London, which she studied for part-time whilst working.

Blythyn is a Welsh learner,^[10] who first started learning Welsh as an adult whilst living in London and has delivered speeches and oral statements in Welsh in the Siambr.^[11]

Professional career

Hannah Blythyn’s first job was working in McDonald’s, before working in the charitable sector as a communications and events officer for Student Action for Refugees.^[12]

Whilst studying for her Masters, Blythyn worked as a parliamentary assistant for Alyn and Deeside Labour MP Mark Tami.^[13]

Blythyn went on to work for Amicus (trade union), then the second largest trade union in the UK before merging with TGWU to form Unite the Union. Blythyn worked as a political officer for Unite at their head office in London before becoming the first political and policy head for Unite Wales. She was active in a number of successful campaigns that led to legislative action and positive change both in Wales and across the UK.^[14]

Political career

Hannah Blythyn joined the Labour Party in 2000 and is a former co-chair of UK Young Labour and LGBT Labour.^[15] She first represented the UK in 2003 as part of the UK delegation to the European Community Organisation of Socialist Youth (ECOSY), now known as Young European Socialists (YES), where she became the Vice President a couple of years later.

Hannah Blythyn was selected as the Welsh Labour candidate for the Delyn constituency of the Senedd. On 5 May 2016, she was elected a Member of the Senedd; she had received 9,480 of the 23,159 votes cast (40.9%).^[4] On 6 May 2021 she retained the seat in the 2021 Senedd election; she received 12,846 votes, 48.1% of the 26,443 votes cast.^[16]

When Blythyn first entered the then National Assembly for Wales in 2016, she was one of three openly gay politicians, alongside Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price and Welsh Labour's Jeremy Miles. In December 2016, Blythyn won “Assembly Member to watch” at the ITV Wales Politician of the Year event.^[17]

In her first 18 months in the Welsh Assembly, Blythyn, chaired the Cross Party Group for North Wales and the Mersey Dee Alliance and sat on the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee, and the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee.

Welsh Labour Leadership Contest 2018

Blythyn backed Mark Drakeford in the 2018 Welsh Labour Leadership election.^[18] In April 2018, Blythyn called for a diverse range of candidates to replace Carwyn Jones as First Minister.^[19]

Democracy in Action Days

As the Member of the Senedd for Delyn, Blythyn has set up several “Democracy in Action” days, where students from schools across Flintshire are able to have their say and learn about the democratic process in Wales. Blythyn established the democracy in action days as annual events to ensure young people continue to have their say in how Wales moves forward.^[20] This campaign aims to provide young people with a positive and proactive introduction to voting, with Blythyn saying "When I was their age, I didn't think that I had a say or that politics wasn't for somebody like me. So, I think it's important they have an opportunity to learn more about what elected representatives do, but also to ask us questions and to act on their behalf”.^[21]

Pride

Blythyn has stated the importance of LGBTQ+ role models for people in Wales.^[22] While growing up in north Wales 20 years ago, Blythyn said she had had few people she could identify with.

Blythyn has been an avid supporter of national and local Prides across Wales. Setting up the first Wales-wide Pride Fund.

Workers’ Rights

Blythyn has claimed that she was influenced by the decimation of traditional industries across North Wales, which has led to campaigns and promoting workers rights at the forefront of her political career.^[23] Blythyn has previously described how lesbians in the workplace face a "double glazed glass ceiling".^[24]

During the COVID-19 pandemic (UK), Blythyn campaigned for workers and employers to be aware of their rights and responsibilities at work.^[25] Part of the campaign was the introduction of the Welsh Government teaming up with their social partners – the Wales TUC, FSB, CBI, Chambers Wales – to launch a campaign to strengthen knowledge and understanding of workplace rights and responsibilities.^[26]

Blythyn stated her opposition to the Tories’ Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act by condemning the Act as an “unworkable intrusion into devolved matters,” and described the legislation as “fundamentally flawed, damaging and counter-productive”.^[27]

Equal Marriage

During her time as chair of LGBT Labour Committee, Blythyn was part of the successful campaign to introduce the Equal Marriage Act, allowing LGBT+ people to have the same rights under law to get married in the United Kingdom. Blythyn was at the Houses of Parliament as the legislation passed through the final stage of the parliamentary process.^[28]

Blythyn has highlighted the introduction of equal marriage as a triumph of the LGBT+ movement and has encouraged others to remember this success. However, Blythyn has continued to emphasise what work is still left and has campaigned on tackling misinformation and hate speech, highlighting the increase in hate crimes towards LGBTQ+ individuals in 2022.^[29]

Conversion therapy ban

Blythyn has spearheaded the Welsh government plan for a total ban on LGBTQ ‘conversion therapy’: the insidious and scientifically debunked practice of trying to change a person’s sexuality and/or gender identity.^[30]

Welsh Labour Leadership Contest 2024

Blythyn was tipped to be a potential candidate in the 2024 Welsh Labour Leadership contest,^[31] and was considered to likely be the only woman and North Walian on the ballot paper.^[32] However, Blythyn ruled herself out of the contest in December 2023, and supported Jeremy Miles.^[33] Blythyn paid tribute to Mark Drakeford, when he announced he would step down as First Minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour, stating it was a privilege to serve in his government and that he led with integrity and compassion.^[34]

Welsh Government

Hannah Blythyn was first appointed to the Welsh Government in 2017 and served in junior ministerial roles under First Ministers Carwyn Jones and Mark Drakeford.

Minister for Environment (Nov 17 – Dec 18)

Hannah Blythyn was first appointed to the Welsh Government Cabinet under First Minister Carwyn Jones, on 3rd November 2017.^[35] Blythyn’s first cabinet position was as the Minister for Environment, where she worked with Julie James MS.

As Minister for Environment, Blythyn launched the consultation which led to the Single Use Plastics Ban (Wales). This consultation set out the Welsh Governments ambition to make Wales free from unnecessary, single use plastics, hard to recycle and commonly littered plastic items, such as straws, cotton buds, polystyrene food and drinks containers could be banned. This formed part of a wider effort to tackle plastic pollution, reduce litter and landfill, and move Wales towards a circular economy.^[36]

Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government (Dec 18 – May 21)

Blythyn was appointed to Mark Drakeford’s first cabinet in December 2018 as the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government.^[37] The portfolio worked alongside the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James MS.

As the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Blythyn announced that Welsh towns would receive £90million of additional investment as part of the Welsh Government approach to transforming town centres across the country. The Transforming Towns package included measures to increase footfall by making sure the public sector locate services in town centre locations, tackle empty buildings and land to help bring them back into use, and greening our town centres.^[38]

Deputy Minister for Social Partnership (May 21 – Mar 24)

Blythyn was appointed to the role of Deputy Minister for Social Partnership in May 2021[iv] after the Welsh Labour victory in the 2021 Welsh Parliament Senedd Cymru elections.^[39] The appointment by Mark Drakeford, allowed Blythyn to work with the Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt MS, and included the responsibilities of: Co-ordination of cross-cutting measures to promote prosperity and tackle poverty, Digital Inclusion, Fuel Poverty, Fire and Rescue Services including community fire safety, Lead on policy in relation to the Armed Forces in Wales and Veterans, Equality and Human Rights, Co-ordination of issues relating to Gypsies, Roma and Travellers, Asylum-seekers, refugees and community cohesion, Anti-slavery, domestic abuse, gender-based violence and sexual violence, Social Partnership and Public Procurement Bill and Shadow Social Partnership Council, Living Wage, and Fair Work.^[40]

The Welsh Government set the commitment of achieving greater LGBTQ+ equality in Wales. The Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, Hannah Blythyn, launched the LGBTQ+ Action Plan consultation, which outlined the Welsh Government’s determination to achieve this historic ambition. Blythyn set out the key commitments to use all available powers to ban all aspects of LGBTQ+ conversion therapy and to support Prides across Wales by sponsoring Pride Cymru, establishing a Wales-wide Pride Fund and appointing a Wales-wide Coordinator.^[41]

Blythyn was instrumental in delivering the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act.^[42] The Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Bill provides for a framework to enhance the well-being of the people of Wales by improving public services through social partnership working, promoting fair work and social responsible public procurement.^[43]

In early 2024, Blythyn took an unprecedented decision to take decisive action to the fullest extent of the powers available to Welsh Government. This involved the appointment commissioners to oversee South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority to tackle a culture of sexism and misogyny and wider failings in management and leadership at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.^[44] Blythyn featured in BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour to discuss the decision.^[45]

Minister for Social Partnership (Mar 24 – May 2024)

On Thursday 21^st March 2024, Blythyn was appointed to Vaughan Gething’s first cabinet as the Minister for Social Partnership.^[46] Her role was retitled to Minister by Vaughan Gething upon his appointment as First Minister in March 2024.^[47] She was dismissed from her position as Social Partnership Minister on 16 May 2024.^[48] This was following allegations of leaked text messages to the media.^[49]

Personal life

Hannah Blythyn became one of the first three openly gay and lesbian Members of the Welsh Assembly upon her election in 2016.^[50] She featured in the 2017, 2022, and 2023 Pinc List of leading Welsh LGBT figures.^[51]

Blythyn lives in Mold, in her North Wales constituency of Delyn with her wife, Laura, and their dog Scout. Her granddad (maternal) worked at the steelworks in Shotton and Taid (paternal granddad) worked at the Point of Ayr Colliery.^[52]

Outside of politics, Blythyn likes spending time outdoors and now labels herself as a lapsed cyclist, having previously taken part in a charity bike ride across Kenya.^[53]

References

Notes