Darren Millar became Leader of the Opposition in Wales on 5 December 2024, after being elected unopposed in the 2024 Welsh Conservative leadership election, following the resignation of Andrew RT Davies. He announced his Shadow Cabinet on 12 December 2024.
Background On 28 November 2024, it was reported by Nation.Cymru that Andrew RT Davies had been asked to step down by members of the Welsh Conservative group. On Tuesday 3 December 2024, Davies faced a no-confidence vote in the Welsh Conservative group meeting, in which he received 9 votes out of 16 members, including his own. Shortly after the vote, Davies resigned as leader of the Welsh Conservatives, stating he viewed his position as untenable, after a number of members of the Conservative Shadow Cabinet privately threatened to resign if he remained in post.
Following Davies' resignation a leadership election process was triggered. Over the course of 4 and 5 December 2024, Millar received endorsements from all of his Welsh Conservative Senedd colleagues, and was therefore elected unanimously within the Welsh Conservative group.
This represented the formal return of Laura Anne Jones to the Shadow Cabinet, after she had been cleared for the second time by the South Wales Police for breaches of expenses rules.
Changes On 22 July 2025, Jones left the Welsh Conservatives, and joined Reform UK Wales, leaving the Shadow Cabinet. On 23 July 2025, the Welsh Conservatives announced a reshuffle, with Joel James taking Jones' responsibilities for Local Government and Housing, and James Evans receiving her armed forces responsibilities. The portfolio of Natasha Asghar was expanded to take James' previous responsibilities for Children and Young People.
In January 2026, James Evans had the whip removed from the Conservative Party for allegedly attempting to cross the floor. This tied the seat count of the Welsh Conservatives with Plaid Cymru at 13, meaning the role of official opposition would cease.
Members
December 2024 – July 2025 +PortfolioNameConstituencyTermLeader of the Opposition Leader of the Welsh ConservativesDarren Millar MSClwyd WestDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Chief WhipPaul Davies MSPreseli PembrokeshireDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for FinanceSam Rowlands MSNorth WalesDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh LanguageSamuel Kurtz MSCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social CareJames Evans MSBrecon and RadnorshireDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for EducationNatasha Asghar MSSouth Wales EastDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Rural AffairsPeter Fox MSMonmouthDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Climate ChangeJanet Finch-Saunders MSAberconwyMarch 2021 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Housing and Armed ForcesLaura Anne Jones MSSouth Wales EastDecember 2024 – July 2025 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Equalities and Social JusticeAltaf Hussain MSSouth Wales WestDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Sport and North WalesGareth Davies MSVale of ClwydDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Children, Young People, Mental Health and WellbeingJoel James MSSouth Wales CentralDecember 2024 – January 2026
July 2025 – January 2026 +PortfolioNameConstituencyTermLeader of the Opposition Leader of the Welsh ConservativesDarren Millar MSClwyd WestDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Chief WhipPaul Davies MSPreseli PembrokeshireDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for FinanceSam Rowlands MSNorth WalesDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh LanguageSamuel Kurtz MSCarmarthen West and South PembrokeshireDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the Armed ForcesJames Evans MSBrecon and RadnorshireDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Children, Young People and EducationNatasha Asghar MSSouth Wales EastDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Rural AffairsPeter Fox MSMonmouthDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Climate ChangeJanet Finch-Saunders MSAberconwyMarch 2021 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and HousingJoel James MSSouth Wales Central July 2025 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Equalities and Social JusticeAltaf Hussain MSSouth Wales WestDecember 2024 – January 2026 Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Sport and North WalesGareth Davies MSVale of ClwydDecember 2024 – January 2026
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