EIGHTEEN months since losing his place in government former Welsh secretary David Davies has said he didn’t realise at the time how “stressful” the job was.

The former Monmouth MP lost his place in Parliament at the July 2024 general election which ended the Conservatives’ 14 year run in government and for Mr Davies, 25 years representing the constituency.

He had been first elected to Parliament at the 2005 general election, Tony Blair’s last victory as Labour leader, as the Conservatives gained their first seats in Wales since being wiped out in the 1997 Blair landslide.

That paved the way for Welsh devolution and the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales, with Mr Davies elected the first Assembly Member for Monmouth at the inaugural 1999 election.

His political life has now come almost full circle as his time as an MP, and cabinet minister, was ended by another Labour landslide and he is back at the former National Assembly, now known as the Senedd, though working as the chief of staff for the Conservative group rather than an elected representative.

“It’s about looking after the Conservative group members and it’s not dissimilar to the role I had as a government whip in terms making sure people have what they need to do the job,” said Mr Davies explaining his current role in........

© South Wales Argus