# Dawn Bowden

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British politician

Dawn Bowden Official portrait, 2024 Minister for Children and Social Care[a] In office 21 March 2024 – 12 May 2026 First Minister Vaughan Gething Eluned Morgan Preceded by Huw Irranca-Davies Succeeded by Delyth Jewell Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism In office 13 May 2021 – 20 March 2024 First Minister Mark Drakeford Preceded by The Lord Elis-Thomas Succeeded by Office vacant Welsh Government Chief Whip In office 13 May 2021 – 2 May 2023 First Minister Mark Drakeford Preceded by Jane Hutt Succeeded by Jane Hutt Member of the Senedd for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney In office 6 May 2016 – 7 April 2026 Preceded by Huw Lewis Majority 9,311 (44%) Personal details Born Dawn Alison Louise Bowden (1960-02-14) 14 February 1960 (age 66) Bristol, England Party Welsh Labour Spouse Martin Eaglestone Children Two Education St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School Soundwell Technical College

**Dawn Alison Louise Bowden** (born 14 February 1960) is a [Welsh Labour Party](/source/Welsh_Labour) politician and [trade unionist](/source/Trade_unionist) serving as [Minister for Children and Social Care](/source/Minister_for_Children_and_Social_Care)[a] since 2024.[1] She previously served as [Chief Whip of the Welsh Government](/source/Welsh_Government) from 2021 to 2023 and [Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport](/source/Deputy_Minister_for_Arts%2C_Sport_and_Tourism) (later also Tourism) from 2021 to 2024. Bowden was the final [Member of the Senedd](/source/Member_of_the_Senedd) (MS) for [Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney](/source/Merthyr_Tydfil_and_Rhymney_(Senedd_constituency)) from 2016 to 2026 before it was split between the new constituencies of [Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr](/source/Pontypridd_Cynon_Merthyr) and [Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni](/source/Blaenau_Gwent_Caerffili_Rhymni).[2]

## Early life and education

Bowden was born on 14 February 1960 in [Bristol](/source/Bristol), England.[3] She was educated at [St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School](/source/St_Bernadette_Catholic_Secondary_School), a [state-funded](/source/Voluntary_aided_school) [Catholic school](/source/Catholic_school) in Bristol. Then, from 1976 to 1978, she undertook a [secretarial](/source/Secretarial) course at [Soundwell Technical College](/source/City_of_Bristol_College).[4]

## Career

### Early career

Bowden began her working life as a [secretary](/source/Secretary). She worked for the [National Health Service](/source/National_Health_Service) between 1979 and 1982, and for [Bristol City Council](/source/Bristol_City_Council) from 1982 to 1983.[4]

From April 2012 until her election to the [Welsh Assembly](/source/Welsh_Assembly) in May 2016, Bowden was the head of health for UNISON Cymru/Wales (the Welsh division of the national [trade union](/source/Trade_union) [UNISON](/source/UNISON)).[4][5][6]

### Political career

In February 2016, it was announced that Bowden had been selected from an [all-women shortlist](/source/All-women_shortlist) to be the [Welsh Labour](/source/Welsh_Labour) candidate for the [Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney](/source/Merthyr_Tydfil_and_Rhymney_(Senedd_constituency)) constituency seat in the next [Welsh Assembly](/source/Welsh_Assembly) election.[6][7] The all-women shortlist was controversial; it drew criticism from a number of male councillors, including the leader of [Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council](/source/Merthyr_Tydfil_County_Borough_Council).[8] On [5 May 2016](/source/2016_National_Assembly_for_Wales_election), she was elected a [Member of the Welsh Assembly](/source/Member_of_the_Welsh_Assembly) with 9,763 votes (47.2% of votes cast).[2]

Bowden has sat as a [Labour Co-operative](/source/Labour_Co-operative) member since re-election in [2021](/source/2021_Senedd_election).[9] She was re-elected with a majority of 9,311 votes.[10] After the election, she was appointed as Chief Whip for the Welsh Government and [Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism](/source/Deputy_Minister_for_Arts%2C_Sport_and_Tourism) by First Minister [Mark Drakeford](/source/Mark_Drakeford).[11][12] She was moved from the role of Chief Whip to being a Ministerial liaison for the [co-operation agreement](/source/2021_Welsh_Labour%E2%80%93Plaid_Cymru_agreement), in May 2023.[13] After [Vaughan Gething](/source/Vaughan_Gething) was elected First Minister in May 2024, she was appointed as [Minister for Social Care](/source/Minister_for_Social_Care).[14] First Minister [Eluned Morgan](/source/Eluned_Morgan%2C_Baroness_Morgan_of_Ely) retained her in this role when she appointed her cabinet in August 2024,[15] but renamed it to *Minister for Children and Social Care* in Morgan's September 2024 reshuffle.[16]

In January 2025 Bowden announced she would be standing down at the [2026 Senedd election](/source/2026_Senedd_election).[17]

## Personal life

Bowden has two children. Sam and Jack.[18] In 2011, she married Martin;[18] he works as a policy officer for [Welsh Labour](/source/Welsh_Labour).[19]

## Notes

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Social_Role_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Social_Role_1-1) As Minister for Social Care from March to September 2024

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["First Minister Vaughan Gething announces new Welsh Government Cabinet | GOV.WALES"](https://www.gov.wales/first-minister-vaughan-gething-announces-new-welsh-government-cabinet). *www.gov.wales*. 21 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BBC_-_Merthyr_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BBC_-_Merthyr_3-1) ["Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/wales-constituencies/W09000044). *Wales Election 2016*. BBC News. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WW_2017_4-0)** 'BOWDEN, Dawn', *[Who's Who 2017](/source/Who's_Who_2017)*, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 [accessed 30 Sept 2017](http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U287492)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bio_-_LinkedIn_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bio_-_LinkedIn_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-bio_-_LinkedIn_5-2) ["Dawn Bowden"](https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dawn-bowden-2a46327a). *LinkedIn*. Retrieved 11 May 2016.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["UNISON slams Cardiff and the Vale Health Board for redundancy decision"](https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2013/06/unison-slams-cardiff-and-the-vale-health-board/). *unison.org.uk*. UNISON. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WO_-_candidate_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WO_-_candidate_7-1) Houghton, Tom (27 February 2016). ["Labour selects Dawn Bowden as Assembly candidate for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney"](http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/labour-selects-dawn-bowden-assembly-10959485). *Wales Online*. Retrieved 11 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BBC_-_candidate_8-0)** ["Labour picks Dawn Bowden as Merthyr and Rhymney AM candidate"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-35678023). *BBC News*. 27 February 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Labour election row over all-women shortlist in Merthyr"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-35463906). *BBC News*. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Annual Review 2021"](https://party.coop/wp-content/blogs.dir/5/files/2022/06/Annual-Report-2021-FINAL.pdf) (PDF). [Co-operative Party](/source/Co-operative_Party). Retrieved 16 July 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Election results for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, 6 May 2021"](https://business.senedd.wales/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=323). *business.senedd.wales*. Retrieved 11 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Written Statement: Cabinet appointments to the new Welsh Government (13 May 2021) | GOV.WALES"](https://www.gov.wales/written-statement-cabinet-appointments-new-welsh-government). *www.gov.wales*. 13 May 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Dawn Bowden MS: Minister for Social Care | GOV.WALES"](https://www.gov.wales/dawn-bowden-ms). *www.gov.wales*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240716234400/https://www.gov.wales/dawn-bowden-ms) from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Written Statement: Ministerial Responsibilities (2 May 2023) | GOV.WALES"](https://www.gov.wales/written-statement-ministerial-responsibilities-3). *www.gov.wales*. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["First Minister Vaughan Gething announces new Welsh Government Cabinet | GOV.WALES"](https://www.gov.wales/first-minister-vaughan-gething-announces-new-welsh-government-cabinet). *www.gov.wales*. 21 March 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Written Statement: Cabinet Appointments (7 August 2024) | GOV.WALES"](https://www.gov.wales/written-statement-cabinet-appointments). *www.gov.wales*. 7 August 2024. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240809012344/https://www.gov.wales/written-statement-cabinet-appointments) from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Welsh government reshuffle: Miles back as minister after ousting Gething"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj9lm4vr0meo). *BBC News*. 11 September 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Catriona Aitken (7 January 2025). ["Minister to quit ahead of Wales' 2026 election"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gzzjp18ydo). *BBC News*. Retrieved 9 May 2026.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bio_-_Assembly_19-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bio_-_Assembly_19-1) ["Dawn Bowden AM"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160915074004/http://www.assembly.wales/en/memhome/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?mid=4988). *assembly.wales*. National Assembly for Wales. Archived from [the original](http://www.assembly.wales/en/memhome/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?mid=4988) on 15 September 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ROI_20-0)** ["Register of interests: Dawn Bowden AM"](http://senedd.assembly.wales/mgDeclarationSubmission.aspx?UID=4988&HID=1215&FID=0&HPID=1007714531). *senedd.assembly.wales*. National Assembly for Wale. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.

v t e Welsh Cabinet Rhun ap Iorwerth government (2026–) First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth Deputy Sioned Williams Cabinet Ministers Sioned Williams (Social Justice and Equality) Elin Jones (Finance) Dafydd Trystan (Government Effectiveness and Constitution) Siân Gwenllian (Local Government, Housing and Planning) Mabon ap Gwynfor (Health and Care) Adam Price (Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy) Llŷr Gruffydd (Rural Resilience and Sustainability) Heledd Fychan (Culture and Sport • Trefnydd (House Leader) • Chief Whip) Anna Brychan (Education and Welsh Language) Deputy Ministers Delyth Jewell (Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health) Cefin Campbell (Skills and Tertiary Education) Nerys Evans (Public and Preventative Health) Elfyn Llwyd (Transport) Elfyn Llwyd (Counsel General)

v t e Members of the National Assembly for Wales / Senedd 2016–2021 5th Assembly Labour (28/29) Mick Antoniw Hannah Blythyn Dawn Bowden Jayne Bryant Hefin David Alun Davies (–Jan 2021, Feb 2021–)××× Mark Drakeford † Rebecca Evans Vaughan Gething John Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Mike Hedges Vikki Howells Jane Hutt Huw Irranca-Davies Julie James Ann Jones Carwyn Jones († till Dec 2018) Jeremy Miles Eluned MorganR Julie Morgan Lynne Neagle Rhianon Passmore Jenny Rathbone David Rees Carl Sargeant (died Nov 2017) Jack Sargeant (Feb 2018–) Ken Skates Lee Waters Joyce WatsonR Conservatives (12-10) Mohammad AsgharR (died Jun 2020) Angela Burns Andrew RT DaviesR † († till June 2018, Jan 2021–) Paul Davies († Sept 2018–Jan 2021) Suzy DaviesR Janet Finch-Saunders Russell George Mark IsherwoodR Laura Anne JonesR (Jul 2020–) David MeldingR Darren Millar Nick Ramsay (–Dec 2019, Feb 2020–)×× Mark RecklessR (Apr 2017–May 2019)× Plaid Cymru (12-10) Dafydd Elis-Thomas (–Oct 2016) Llyr GruffyddR Siân Gwenllian Rhun ap Iorwerth Delyth JewellR (Jan 2019– ) Elin Jones Helen Mary Jones (Aug 2018– ) Steffan LewisR (died Jan 2019) David LloydR Neil McEvoyR (–Jan 2018) Adam Price † Bethan SayedR Simon ThomasR (–Jul 2018) Leanne Wood († till Sept 2018) UKIP (1-7) Gareth BennettR (–Nov 2019, † Oct 2018–May 2019) Michelle BrownR (–March 2019) Nathan GillR (–Sep 2016) Neil HamiltonR († till May 2018) Caroline JonesR (–May 2019, † May–Oct 2018) Mandy Jones (Dec 2017) Mark RecklessR (–Apr 2017) David RowlandsR (–May 2019) Brexit Party (0-4) Caroline JonesR (May 2019–Aug 2020) Mandy Jones (May 2019–Oct 2020) Mark RecklessR (May 2019–) David RowlandsR (May 2019–Oct 2020) Independent Alliance for Reform (0-3) Mandy Jones (Oct 2020–) Caroline JonesR (Oct 2020–) David RowlandsR (Oct 2020–) Liberal Democrats (1) Kirsty Williams Welsh National Party/Propel (0-1) Neil McEvoyR (Jan 2020–) Independent (0-4) Gareth BennettR (Nov 2019– ) Michelle BrownR (March 2019–) Alun Davies (Jan–Feb 2021) Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Oct 2016– ) Nathan GillR (Sep 2016–Dec 2017) Caroline JonesR (Aug 2020–Oct 2020) Mandy Jones (Jan 2018–May 2019) Neil McEvoyR (Jan 2018–Jan 2020) Nick Ramsay (Jan 2020–Feb 2020) Presiding Officer: Elin Jones † = Party leaders. R = Regional MS × Member of the Conservative group but not party ×× Suspended from Conservative group 2 Jan 2020 to 13 Feb 2020 ××× Suspended from Labour group 19 Jan - 23 Feb 2021

v t e Members of the Senedd 2021–2026 6th Senedd Labour (29-30) Mick Antoniw Hannah Blythyn Dawn Bowden Jayne Bryant Hefin David (died Aug 2025) Alun Davies Mark Drakeford († till Mar 2024) Rebecca Evans Vaughan Gething († Mar-Jul 2024) John Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Mike Hedges Vikki Howells Jane Hutt Huw Irranca-Davies Julie James Jeremy Miles Eluned MorganR† († since Jul 2024) Julie Morgan Sarah Murphy Lynne Neagle Rhianon Passmore Jenny Rathbone David Rees Jack Sargeant Ken Skates Carolyn ThomasR Lee Waters Joyce WatsonR Buffy Williams Conservatives (14-16) Natasha AsgharR Andrew RT DaviesR († till Dec 2024) Paul Davies Gareth Davies James Evans ( –Jan 2026) Janet Finch-Saunders Peter Fox Russell George ( –Apr 2025) Tom GiffardR Altaf HussainR Mark IsherwoodR Joel JamesR Laura Anne JonesR ( –Jul 2025) Samuel Kurtz Darren Millar † († since Dec 2024) Sam RowlandsR Plaid Cymru (12-13) Rhys ab OwenR ( –Nov 2022) Cefin CampbellR Luke FletcherR Heledd FychanR Llŷr Huws GruffyddR Peredur Owen GriffithsR Mabon ap Gwynfor Siân Gwenllian Rhun ap Iorwerth † († since June 2023) Delyth JewellR Elin Jones Adam Price († till May 2023) Lindsay Whittle (since Oct 2025) Sioned WilliamsR Liberal Democrats (1) Jane DoddsR† Reform (0-2) James Evans (Jan 2026– ) Laura Anne JonesR (Jul 2025– ) Independent (0-1) Rhys ab OwenR (Nov 2022– ) Russell George (Apr 2025– ) Llywydd (presiding officer): Elin Jones † = Party leaders R = Regional MS

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dawn Bowden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_Bowden) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_Bowden?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.