Alun Michael

The Right Honourable Alun Michael JP
Michael in 2009
South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner
In office 22 November 2012 – 8 May 2024
Deputy	Sophie Howe Emma Wools
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Emma Wools
Minister of State for Industry and the Regions
In office 10 May 2005 – 5 May 2006
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Jacqui Smith
Succeeded by	Ian McCartney
Minister of State for Rural Affairs
In office 11 June 2001 – 10 May 2005
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Nick Raynsford
Succeeded by	Jim Knight
First Secretary of Wales
In office 12 May 1999 – 9 February 2000
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Rhodri Morgan
Leader of Welsh Labour
In office 29 October 1998 – 9 February 2000
UK party leader	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Ron Davies
Succeeded by	Rhodri Morgan
Secretary of State for Wales
In office 27 October 1998 – 28 July 1999
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	Ron Davies
Succeeded by	Paul Murphy
Minister of State for Home Affairs
In office 6 May 1997 – 27 October 1998
Prime Minister	Tony Blair
Preceded by	David Maclean
Succeeded by	Paul Boateng
Member of the Welsh Assembly for Mid and West Wales
In office 6 May 1999 – 1 May 2000[1]
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Delyth Evans
Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth
In office 11 June 1987 – 22 October 2012
Preceded by	James Callaghan
Succeeded by	Stephen Doughty
Personal details
Born	(1943-08-22) 22 August 1943 (age 80) Bryngwran, Anglesey, Wales
Political party	Welsh Labour (Labour and Co-operative)
Spouse	Mary Sophia Crawley
Children	5
Parent(s)	Betty Michael Leslie Michael
Alma mater	Keele University
Cabinet	Michael government
Signature
Website	Official website
Alun Michael's voice Michael on the core values of the internet Recorded 17 November 2009

Alun Edward Michael JP (born 22 August 1943) is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative^[2][3] politician. He served as Secretary of State for Wales from 1998 to 1999 and then as the first First Secretary of Wales (later known as First Minister) and Leader of Welsh Labour from 1999 to 2000. He went on to serve as South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner from 2012 to 2024.^[4]

Born on the island of Anglesey, Michael attended Colwyn Bay Grammar School and graduated from the University of Keele in 1966 with a degree in Philosophy and English. He worked as a reporter for the South Wales Echo until 1971 and then as a youth and community worker until 1987. He became a Justice of the Peace in 1972 and served on the Cardiff City Council from 1973 to 1989. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1987, succeeding former Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan for the constituency of Cardiff South and Penarth.

In opposition, he was a Shadow Home Affairs Minister and then when Labour came to power in 1997 he served as a Minister of State for Home Affairs until 1998. In October of that year, Ron Davies resigned as Secretary of State for Wales following a personal controversy and Prime Minister Tony Blair appointed Michael to succeed him. In May 1999, following the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales, Michael defeated Rhodri Morgan to become the Leader of Welsh Labour and thus the First Secretary of Wales. The position was later renamed First Minister of Wales under the tenure of his successor.

Michael resigned as Leader of Welsh Labour and First Secretary nine months later to avoid a vote of no confidence. He resigned from the Welsh Assembly shortly after and served in various junior ministerial positions in the Labour government at Westminster. He resigned from the House of Commons in October 2012 to stand for the newly created position of Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales, to which he was elected in November 2012 and again in 2016 and 2021.^[5][6] In June 2023 it was announced he would not contest the 2024 elections; he will be succeeded by his deputy Emma Wools with effect from 8 May 2024, after her win the previous week.^[7]