Joyce Watson, who has been Member of the Senedd for Mid and West Wales since 2007, has announced a ‘very difficult’ decision not to stand as a candidate at next year’s Senedd Election.

“Serving the Labour Party has been the privilege of my life,” she said. “To do so representing Mid and West Wales has been an incredible honour. I must thank all the people I have met and worked with on issues and campaigns across the years, and thank Labour members and colleagues for their trust and support.

“I grew up in Tywyn, Manorbier, Cosheston and Cardigan, one of eight children, and raised my own family across the region, settling in Pembrokeshire. I never dreamed that one day I would be elected to serve the people and places I know and love so well.

“As a Senedd Member I have tried to make a difference to people’s lives. Among this work was tackling the scourge of human trafficking and supporting the construction industry. I represented our parliament internationally, in Europe and the Commonwealth, and I established White Ribbon domestic violence campaigning in Wales.

“Since I was first elected our young democracy has grown in strength and confidence. The next election, under new rules and boundaries, will be transformative.

“It feels like the right time for me to step aside for new candidates, and to devote more time to my wonderful family.

“The past two decades have also brought huge upheavals, at home and abroad, that present us with huge challenges. I remain convinced that the solutions to these problems are more co-operation and social justice, not less. I believe that Labour values are the best path to a fairer future.

“So, although I will be stepping down from the Senedd in May 2026, I will never stop fighting for these ideals.”