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Not Just Politics
For nine years, Carwyn Jones was at the helm of Welsh politics. As First Minister from 2009 to 2018, he led the governance of an increasingly devolving Wales through turmoil and success.
Not Just Politics follows Carwyn from his roots in a small corner of Wales and childhood brought up as a Welsh speaker in Bridgend, to the 1980s miners' strike which inspired a career in politics. After graduating with a degree in law from Aberyswyth, Carwyn juggled being a barrister and local councillor while also caring for his wife Lisa, who was diagnosed with leukaemia shortly after their marriage. As part of the first cohort of Welsh Government Ministers, Carwyn has been at the heart of the growing shift from Westminster to Cardiff, and as First Minister he oversaw landmark moments that put Wales firmly on the world stage.
Sharing his story through two decades at the heart of Welsh governance, Carwyn provides a unique insight into the status of Wales as a nation and its relationship with Westminster. From the prime ministers he worked with to the state of the union in a post-Brexit world, Not Just Politics reflects on the highs and lows of his political career and reveals the man as well as the minister.
'The must read life story of Carwyn Jones and his nine years as Wales' First Minister' - Gordon Brown
Not Just Politics follows Carwyn from his roots in a small corner of Wales and childhood brought up as a Welsh speaker in Bridgend, to the 1980s miners' strike which inspired a career in politics. After graduating with a degree in law from Aberyswyth, Carwyn juggled being a barrister and local councillor while also caring for his wife Lisa, who was diagnosed with leukaemia shortly after their marriage. As part of the first cohort of Welsh Government Ministers, Carwyn has been at the heart of the growing shift from Westminster to Cardiff, and as First Minister he oversaw landmark moments that put Wales firmly on the world stage.
Sharing his story through two decades at the heart of Welsh governance, Carwyn provides a unique insight into the status of Wales as a nation and its relationship with Westminster. From the prime ministers he worked with to the state of the union in a post-Brexit world, Not Just Politics reflects on the highs and lows of his political career and reveals the man as well as the minister.
'The must read life story of Carwyn Jones and his nine years as Wales' First Minister' - Gordon Brown
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2020
10 people want to read
About the author
Carwyn Jones
10 booksCarwyn Howell Jones is a Welsh politician who served as First Minister of Wales and Leader of Welsh Labour from 2009 to 2018. He served as Counsel General for Wales from 2007 to 2009. Jones served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Bridgend from 1999 to 2021.
Jones served in the Cabinet as Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Welsh Government from 2000 to 2002, and as Minister of State for the Environment from 2003 to 2007. Following the 2007 election, he was appointed Minister for Education, Culture and the Welsh Language, and thereafter Counsel General for Wales and Leader of the House following the One Wales coalition agreement with Plaid Cymru.
Jones succeeded Rhodri Morgan as Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister on 1 December 2009, after Jones was elected with over 50% of the vote. The third politician to lead the Welsh Government, Jones was nominated as First Minister by the National Assembly on 9 December 2009, and was sworn into office the following day.
On 21 April 2018 he announced he would step down as First Minister that autumn, and in December 2018 Mark Drakeford (the Finance Secretary in Jones' cabinet) was elected as his replacement.
Jones served in the Cabinet as Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Welsh Government from 2000 to 2002, and as Minister of State for the Environment from 2003 to 2007. Following the 2007 election, he was appointed Minister for Education, Culture and the Welsh Language, and thereafter Counsel General for Wales and Leader of the House following the One Wales coalition agreement with Plaid Cymru.
Jones succeeded Rhodri Morgan as Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister on 1 December 2009, after Jones was elected with over 50% of the vote. The third politician to lead the Welsh Government, Jones was nominated as First Minister by the National Assembly on 9 December 2009, and was sworn into office the following day.
On 21 April 2018 he announced he would step down as First Minister that autumn, and in December 2018 Mark Drakeford (the Finance Secretary in Jones' cabinet) was elected as his replacement.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 13, 2024
A very insightful biography and a most enjoyable read. I felt that the mixture of politics and personal was well balanced and the details about politics/policy were kept at a high enough level to keep the reader interested.
April 3, 2021
A very personal account of Carwyn Jones life and career in politics. Easy to read and interesting but policy-lite and superficial in parts.
March 27, 2023
Not Just Politics, the autobiography of former First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones is a short but engaging read.
The title is accurate as in addition to politics, there is a lot about Jones’ politics and passions outwith the Senedd, including his family, his community, Cymraeg and his love of rugby. As a rocker, I’m also highly impressed to read that he is a punk and metal fan!
The book gives a good impression of what Jones is like as a person and he certainly comes off as a very decent and likeable person.
In political terms, the author’s principles are clearly stated. Like many others in the 1980s, he was inspired into politics by the Miners’ Strike and by his opposition to Thatcher’s Government. At a time when the Labour Party in Wales was divided over the issue of devolution, Jones was a strong supporter of home rule and his support for increased devolution and the part he played in bringing it about are clearly stated throughout. It is clear that like Ron Davies, Carwyn Jones believes that devolution is a process and not an event and he is clear that further devolution is needed, particularly in terms of creating a separate legal jurisdiction for Wales, and that work needs to be done by the UK Government to take devolution more seriously and to make the relationships between the different parliaments and assemblies work better. His commitment to a fairer and more equal society is also made clear as his his opposition to Brexit.
Jones’ journey to becoming an Assembly member and his involvement in the 1997 referendum campaign are touched on but alas, there is relatively little about the referendum campaign. And while some of they key political issues affecting his tenure as a minister and first minister are mentioned, the book is relatively light on discussion of the legislation passed and the major issues dealt with in the Senedd its first twenty years – it would have been good to read more about this.
There is a fair amount about Jones’ relationships with other politicians both of all parties, including various party leaders and prime ministers which is all done in a tactful way, giving credit where credit is due and resisting undue negativity. Working with people across party boundaries to achieve common goals comes across strongly in this book and it comes to a close expressing concerns about the often negative consequences of social media and with Trumpian politics.
This is a great book but could have benefitted with more depth on the political side.
The title is accurate as in addition to politics, there is a lot about Jones’ politics and passions outwith the Senedd, including his family, his community, Cymraeg and his love of rugby. As a rocker, I’m also highly impressed to read that he is a punk and metal fan!
The book gives a good impression of what Jones is like as a person and he certainly comes off as a very decent and likeable person.
In political terms, the author’s principles are clearly stated. Like many others in the 1980s, he was inspired into politics by the Miners’ Strike and by his opposition to Thatcher’s Government. At a time when the Labour Party in Wales was divided over the issue of devolution, Jones was a strong supporter of home rule and his support for increased devolution and the part he played in bringing it about are clearly stated throughout. It is clear that like Ron Davies, Carwyn Jones believes that devolution is a process and not an event and he is clear that further devolution is needed, particularly in terms of creating a separate legal jurisdiction for Wales, and that work needs to be done by the UK Government to take devolution more seriously and to make the relationships between the different parliaments and assemblies work better. His commitment to a fairer and more equal society is also made clear as his his opposition to Brexit.
Jones’ journey to becoming an Assembly member and his involvement in the 1997 referendum campaign are touched on but alas, there is relatively little about the referendum campaign. And while some of they key political issues affecting his tenure as a minister and first minister are mentioned, the book is relatively light on discussion of the legislation passed and the major issues dealt with in the Senedd its first twenty years – it would have been good to read more about this.
There is a fair amount about Jones’ relationships with other politicians both of all parties, including various party leaders and prime ministers which is all done in a tactful way, giving credit where credit is due and resisting undue negativity. Working with people across party boundaries to achieve common goals comes across strongly in this book and it comes to a close expressing concerns about the often negative consequences of social media and with Trumpian politics.
This is a great book but could have benefitted with more depth on the political side.
December 15, 2021
I really enjoyed this. It was easy to read and as someone who has worked in Welsh politics for the entirety of Carwyn’s time as First Minister (and who lives in his former constituency), I could relate to a lot of the events that he describes and recounts. However, having only ever really known him on a professional basis, I found the chapters dealing with the personal aspects of his life (in both childhood and adulthood) to be the most interesting and revealing. A very enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews