Leader of the Opposition (Wales)

Leader of the Opposition in the Senedd
Incumbent Andrew RT Davies since 7 May 2021
Style	Member of the Senedd (MS)
Term length	While leader of the largest political party not in government
Inaugural holder	Dafydd Wigley
Formation	May 1999
Salary	£13,578 + £1,044 per group member (up to £37,601) in addition to £66,847 AM's salary

In the Senedd, the office of Leader of the Opposition (Welsh: Arweinydd yr Wrthblaid) is held by the leader of the largest party group not in government. Since 7 May 2021 the Leader of the Opposition in the Senedd is Andrew RT Davies (Conservative). To date the office has been held by six individuals, three from Plaid Cymru and three from the Welsh Conservatives. Only one, Ieuan Wyn Jones, has gone on to serve in the Welsh Government.

History

Between July 2007 and May 2011, Nick Bourne served as Leader of the Opposition, even though the Conservatives were the third largest group in the Assembly. This was a result of the Welsh Government's consisting of Labour and Plaid Cymru, which were the largest and second largest groups respectively.

Following the 2016 election, Plaid Cymru (led by Leanne Wood) became the largest group not in government, having won 12 seats to the Welsh Conservatives' 11. On 14 October 2016 Dafydd Elis-Thomas left Plaid Cymru to sit as an independent, which resulted in Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives both holding 11 seats. During this period Leanne Wood was not referred to as Leader of the Opposition but was instead referred to as the leader of Plaid Cymru. The Conservative group grew to 12 following Mark Reckless's defection from UKIP to the Conservative Group on 6 April 2017, and Andrew R. T. Davies was once again referred to as Leader of the Opposition. The office was vacant following Paul Davies’ resignation as leader of the Welsh Conservatives on the 23 January 2021 after he could have broken COVID regulations. There was a short discussion between Conservative Members of the Senedd the following day where they gave their unanimous support for Andrew RT Davies to become leader.

On 29 March 2021 Nick Ramsay left the Welsh Conservative party to stand as an Independent in the Senedd election, meaning that the group had lost its title as the largest party not in government. Furthermore during the final period before the 2021 Senedd election both the Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Cymru were tied on 10 seats each, with no official office holder of the Leader of the opposition.

List of Leaders of the Opposition in the Senedd

No.		Portrait	Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title	Term of office		Political party	First Minister
style="background-color: Template:Plaid Cymru/meta/color" |	1		Dafydd Wigley (1943–) AM for Caernarfon	12 May 1999	16 March 2000	Plaid Cymru	Alun Michael Rhodri Morgan
style="background-color: Template:Plaid Cymru/meta/color" |	2		Ieuan Wyn Jones (1949–) AM for Ynys Môn	16 March 2000	11 July 2007	Plaid Cymru	Rhodri Morgan
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" |	3		Nick Bourne (1952–) AM for Mid and West Wales	11 July 2007	6 May 2011	Conservative	Rhodri Morgan Carwyn Jones
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" |	–		Paul Davies Acting (1969–) MS for Preseli Pembrokeshire	6 May 2011	14 July 2011	Conservative	Carwyn Jones
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" |	4		Andrew RT Davies (1968–) MS for South Wales Central	14 July 2011	5 May 2016	Conservative
style="background-color: Template:Plaid Cymru/meta/color" |	5		Leanne Wood (1971–) MS for Rhondda	5 May 2016	14 October 2016	Plaid Cymru
Not in use 14 Oct 2016 – 6 April 2017 During this period both Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Conservatives were tied on 11 seats each. Leanne Wood was not referred to as Leader of the Opposition during this period and was instead referred to as leader of Plaid Cymru. The Conservative group grew to 12 following Mark Reckless's defection from UKIP to the Conservatives on 6 April, and Andrew R. T. Davies was referred to as Leader of the Opposition once more.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" |	(4)		Andrew RT Davies (1968–) MS for South Wales Central	6 April 2017	27 June 2018	Conservative
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" |	6		Paul Davies (1969–) MS for Preseli Pembrokeshire	27 June 2018	23 January 2021	Conservative	Carwyn Jones Mark Drakeford
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" |	(4)		Andrew RT Davies (1968–) MS for South Wales Central	24 January 2021	29 March 2021	Conservative	Mark Drakeford
Not in use: 29 March – 7 May 2021, During the final period before the 2021 Senedd election both the Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Cymru were tied on 10 seats each. This happened after Nick Ramsay left the Welsh Conservatives Party and group in the Senedd to stand as an independent in the Senedd Election.
style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" |	(4)		Andrew RT Davies (1968–) MS for South Wales Central	7 May 2021	Incumbent	Conservative

See also

• Welsh Shadow Cabinet
• First Minister of Wales
• Deputy First Minister for Wales
• Welsh Government