Vikki Howells

Vikki Howells
Howells in 2021
Member of the Senedd
for Cynon Valley
Assumed office
6 May 2016
Preceded byChristine Chapman
Majority7,468 (36.4%)
Personal details
CitizenshipUnited Kingdom
NationalityWelsh
Political partyWelsh Labour
EducationSt John the Baptist School, Aberdare
Alma materUniversity of Wales, Cardiff

Vikki Howells is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician and former teacher. Since May 2016, she has been the Member of the Senedd for Cynon Valley.

Background and personal life

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Howells was brought up in Cwmbach, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.[1] She was educated at St John the Baptist School, a Church in Wales secondary school in Aberdare.[2] She studied International and Welsh history at the University of Wales, Cardiff, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.[2] She remained at Cardiff to undertake postgraduate study in Modern Welsh History, and graduated with a Master of Arts degree.[2]

Her partner is Hefin David, MS for the neighbouring Caerphilly constituency.[3]

Career

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Teaching career

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Before her election to the Senedd, Howells was a history teacher and the assistant head of sixth form at St Cenydd Comprehensive School in Caerphilly, South Wales.

Political career

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Howells has been a Member of the Labour Party since she was 17.[2] In December 2015, it was announced that Howells had been selected as the Welsh Labour candidate for the Cynon Valley constituency of the Senedd.[4] On 5 May 2016, she was successfully elected as a Member of the Welsh Assembly, she received 9,830 votes (51.1% of the votes cast, and a majority of 5,994).[1]

She was re-elected as a Labour and Co-operative Party candidate[5] at the 2021 Senedd election with an increased majority of 7,468 votes.[6]

Howells supported Vaughan Gething in the 2018 and February–March 2024 Welsh Labour leadership elections.[7][8]

Howells chairs the Welsh Labour Group of MSs.[9] She is also president of the mental health charity Friends R Us and vice-president of Cwmbach Male Voice Choir.[9][3] Vikki is also a member of the Cynon Valley History Society, the social justice thinktank the Bevan Foundation, the Co-operative Party, the GMB and USDAW.[9][3]

Howells chairs the Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b Tegeltija, Sam (6 May 2016). "Assembly Election 2016: Labour holds Cynon as Vikki Howells succeeds Christine Chapman". Wales Online. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "Vikki Howells MS". senedd.wales. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Register of interests for Vikki Howells MS - Sixth Senedd". business.senedd.wales. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  4. ^ Tegeltija, Sam (8 December 2015). "Teacher Vikki Howells announced as Labour's Cynon Valley candidate for National Assembly election". Walses Online. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Annual Review 2021" (PDF). Co-operative Party. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Election results for Cynon Valley, 6 May 2021". business.senedd.wales. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Labour AMs back Vaughan Gething for Welsh Labour leadership in open letter". ITV Wales. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Vaughan Gething announces Welsh first minister bid". BBC News. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "About Vikki". Vikki Howells MS. Archived from the original on 10 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Standards of Conduct Committee". senedd.wales. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
Senedd
Preceded by Member of the Senedd for Cynon Valley
2016 to present
Incumbent