Jeffrey Cuthbert
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Hambley Cuthbert (born 4 June 1948) is a Welsh
politician who has been a Labour Party member of the National Assembly for Wales
for Caerphilly
since 2003. He began his career in the mining industry and later worked for the Welsh Joint Education Committee (as it was then) as Head of the Asset to Industry Unit.
Cuthbert was born in Glasgow
to a Welsh mother and Scottish father, but brought up in Cardiff
, where he attended Whitchurch County Secondary Modern followed by studying mining engineering at University College, Cardiff
. He joined the Labour Party
in the mid-1960s. As a mining engineer he worked at Markham
and Oakdale
pits.
Briefly a member of the Militant Tendency
, Cuthbert later became Chair of Caerphilly Constituency Labour Party
. He left the mining industry to develop qualifications for Modern Apprenticeships with WJEC, and became a Corporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He was a governor of the Lewis School, Pengam
, and served as Principal of a part-time Adult Education Centre at Aberbargoed
.
In the 2003 election to the National Assembly for Wales, Cuthbert was selected at the last minute to replace Ron Davies who had been involved in a second sex scandal and was forced to stand down; despite the party's negative tabloid publicity he increased the Labour majority in the Caerphilly constituency
.
Cuthbert was appointed Chair of the Objective One Programme Monitoring Committee for Wales in 2004, and subsequently Chair of its All-Wales successor body in 2007. He is a Chair of the Assembly's Cross-Party Groups on Healthy Living and the Built Environment; and is co-Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Beer and the Pub. As an active trade unionist, he is co-ordinator of the UNITE Group of Labour Assembly Members. At the 2007 election
he successfully defended his seat after Ron Davies, a long-time favourite of the pro-devolution Welsh media, challenged to regain it as an Independent candidate
.
At the 2011 Welsh General Election, Cuthbert successfully defended his seat once again; more than doubling his majority and easily seeing off another challenge from Davies, who this time stood for Plaid Cymru amidst much media hype.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
politician who has been a Labour Party member of the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
for Caerphilly
Caerphilly (National Assembly for Wales constituency)
Caerphilly is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...
since 2003. He began his career in the mining industry and later worked for the Welsh Joint Education Committee (as it was then) as Head of the Asset to Industry Unit.
Cuthbert was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to a Welsh mother and Scottish father, but brought up in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, where he attended Whitchurch County Secondary Modern followed by studying mining engineering at University College, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
. He joined the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
in the mid-1960s. As a mining engineer he worked at Markham
Markham, Wales
Markham is a small village in the South Wales Valleys in Caerphilly County Borough, close to Blackwood.The village has a primary school, Markham Primary School, which is a feeder school of Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School, although some pupils move on to Blackwood Comprehensive School.Markham...
and Oakdale
Oakdale Colliery
Oakdale Colliery was a coal mine located in the Sirhowy Valley, one of the valleys of South Wales.In the early years of the twentieth century the need for coal was growing both in America and Europe, and local business men in Wales were looking for new opportunities to fill the demand...
pits.
Briefly a member of the Militant Tendency
Militant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
, Cuthbert later became Chair of Caerphilly Constituency Labour Party
Constituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
. He left the mining industry to develop qualifications for Modern Apprenticeships with WJEC, and became a Corporate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. He was a governor of the Lewis School, Pengam
Pengam
Pengam is a former coal community in the Rhymney Valley, Caerphilly county borough, in Wales. As of 2001, it has a population of 3,842.-Location and population:...
, and served as Principal of a part-time Adult Education Centre at Aberbargoed
Aberbargoed
Aberbargoed is a small town in the Welsh county borough of Caerphilly, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, south Wales. Aberbargoed once contained the largest ever colliery waste tip in Europe, although this has now been reclaimed and turned into a country park.- Mining :Coal mining...
.
In the 2003 election to the National Assembly for Wales, Cuthbert was selected at the last minute to replace Ron Davies who had been involved in a second sex scandal and was forced to stand down; despite the party's negative tabloid publicity he increased the Labour majority in the Caerphilly constituency
Caerphilly (National Assembly for Wales constituency)
Caerphilly is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...
.
Cuthbert was appointed Chair of the Objective One Programme Monitoring Committee for Wales in 2004, and subsequently Chair of its All-Wales successor body in 2007. He is a Chair of the Assembly's Cross-Party Groups on Healthy Living and the Built Environment; and is co-Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Beer and the Pub. As an active trade unionist, he is co-ordinator of the UNITE Group of Labour Assembly Members. At the 2007 election
National Assembly for Wales election, 2007
The 2007 National Assembly election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the National Assembly for Wales. It was the third general election. On the same day local elections in England and Scotland, and the Scottish Parliament election took place...
he successfully defended his seat after Ron Davies, a long-time favourite of the pro-devolution Welsh media, challenged to regain it as an Independent candidate
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
.
At the 2011 Welsh General Election, Cuthbert successfully defended his seat once again; more than doubling his majority and easily seeing off another challenge from Davies, who this time stood for Plaid Cymru amidst much media hype.