The miners strike brought Carwyn Jones into Labour politics when he was an 18 year-old student in Abersytwyth in 1985. He was elected as one of Wales's youngest Labour county councillors in 1995 and went on to become Chair of his Labour Group in Bridgend. In 1997 he campaigned hard for devolution as Secretary of Bridgend Says Yes, before being elected to the National Assembly for Wales as Assembly Member for Bridgend in 1999.
Carwyn was born in Swansea. His family roots are in Brynaman, Carmarthenshire, where his parents originate. Though he is a fluent Welsh speaker, Carwyn went to the local English-medium comprehensive. After Bryncethin Primary he was a pupil at Brynteg Comprehensive School in Bridgend, and then studied at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. He subsequently trained as a barrister at the Inns of Court School of Law, London, and was called to the Bar at Gray's Inn in 1989.
Before his election to the National Assembly of Wales, he was a practising barrister who specialised in Family, Criminal and Personal Injury law. He was in legal practice for ten years at Gower Chambers, Swansea, and is now a door tenant at Temple Chambers in Cardiff. For two years he also worked as a Professional Tutor at Cardiff University on the Bar Vocational Course.
Within a year of joining the Assembly he was appointed as Deputy Secretary for Local Government, Finance and Land in March 2000. In July 2000 he joined the Cabinet as Assembly Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development. His responsibilities in this role included the environment, countryside issues, town and country planning, sustainable development, agriculture and rural development. In June 2002 he became Minister for Open Government.
After the 2003 elections he was re-appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for the Environment, Planning and Countryside.
After the 2007 Assembly elections he was appointed Assembly Minister for Education, Culture and the Welsh Language. After Labour entered into coalition with Plaid Cymru, Carwyn was appointed as Counsel General and Leader of the House.
Carwyn is married to Lisa and they have two children, Seren and Ruairi.
