Mark Drakefod entered the National Assembly when he won the Cardiff West seat in May 2011.

Mark Drakeford was born and brought up in West Wales, before moving to Cardiff more than thirty years ago. Since then he has lived in the Pontcanna area of Cardiff West, with his wife and children.

A former probation officer, youth justice worker and Barnardos project leader in Ely and Caerau, he is currently a Professor of social policy at Cardiff University.

In the 1980s and 1990s Mark was a Labour Councillor on South Glamorgan County Council, specialising in education issues, including Welsh medium education. Between 2000 and 2010 he worked as the Cabinet’s health and social policy adviser at the Welsh Assembly Government, and was latterly head of the First Minister’s political office.

As well as a thirty year knowledge of the Cardiff West constituency he has a detailed understanding of the way in which the Assembly works, and how an Assembly Member can be most effective.

Outside politics, he is a long-time member of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, has worked a Pontcanna allotment for more than quarter of a century and enjoys body boarding off the Pembrokeshire coast.