Vikki Howells is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician serving as Minister for Further and Higher Education since September 2024. Since May 2016, she has also been the Member of the Senedd for Cynon Valley. Before her election to the Senedd, Howells was a teacher, with a background in History.
Background and personal life
Howells was brought up in
Cwmbach, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.
She was educated at St John the Baptist School, a Church in Wales
secondary school in
Aberdare.
She studied International and Welsh history at the University of Wales, Cardiff, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
She remained at Cardiff to undertake postgraduate study in Modern Welsh History, and graduated with a Master of Arts degree.
Her partner was Hefin David, former MS for the neighbouring Caerphilly constituency.
Career
Teaching career
Before her election to the Senedd, Howells was a history teacher and the assistant head of
sixth form at St Cenydd Comprehensive School in
Caerphilly, South Wales.
Political career
Howells has been a Member of the Labour Party since she was 17.
In December 2015, it was announced that Howells had been selected as the
Welsh Labour candidate for the Cynon Valley constituency of the
Senedd.
On 5 May 2016, she was elected as a Member of the Welsh Assembly, she received 9,830 votes (51.1% of the votes cast, and a majority of 5,994).
She was re-elected as a Labour and Co-operative Party candidate
at the 2021 Senedd election with an increased majority of 7,468 votes.
Howells supported Vaughan Gething in the 2018 and February–March 2024 Welsh Labour leadership elections.
Howells chaired the Welsh Labour Group of MSs from 2017 to 2024.
Howells chaired the Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee between 2021 and 2024.
She was appointed as Minister for Further and Higher Education under First Minister Eluned Morgan in September 2024.
