Joyce Watson
Encyclopedia
Joyce Watson, born 1955, is a Welsh Labour politician who has been a Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Mid and West Wales
since 2007
.
in 1990. In 1993, she studied politics
at Swansea University
, later gaining an honours degree at the same time as running Labour's successful parliamentary campaign for Preseli Pembrokeshire
.
An active Labour Party
member, Watson was leader of the Labour group on Pembrokeshire Council for six years. She was the only female member on Pembrokeshire County Council representing a ward within the Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency from 1995–2004. She was a member of Dyfed Powys Police Authority and the Pembrokeshire Spatial Plan working group. She has worked on social justice projects such as the award winning Garth youth project, which she chairs. Watson was Manager of the Wales Women’s National Coalition with an all Wales remit and was a senior member of the Wales Gender Budget Group and the NHS Equality Reference Group.
Watson was elected as an Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales in May 2007
.
She is currently a member of the Equality of Opportunity Committee, Communities and Culture Committee, Subordinate Legislation Committee and Finance Committee. Watson is also Rural Affairs spokesperson for Labour in the Assembly, a member of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and Chair of the Cross Party Group on the Trafficking of Women and Children, which she set up. She is also Vice-Chair of the Cross Party Group on Eating Disorders and Vice-Chair of the Cross-Party group for Looked-after Children.
She is married to Colin and has three children, Heather, Fiona and William.
Watson's father was a prisoner of war during the Second World War, upon his return to the UK he was suspected of being a German spy. This was because he spoke Welsh as a first language and very little English but had learnt some German whilst overseas. Following his ordeal he brought up his children only speaking English. Watson is now learning Welsh, and her children were all educated in Welsh medium schools.
Mid and West Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)
Mid and West Wales is an electoral region of the National Assembly for Wales, consisting of eight constituencies. The region elects twelve members, eight directly elected constituency members and four additional members...
since 2007
National Assembly for Wales election, 2007
The 2007 National Assembly election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the National Assembly for Wales. It was the third general election. On the same day local elections in England and Scotland, and the Scottish Parliament election took place...
.
Career
Watson was educated at Manorbier School, Cosheston School and Cardigan Comprehensive before going on to Pembrokeshire CollegePembrokeshire College
Pembrokeshire College is a further education college with a campus in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in Wales and around 40 outreach centres across the county...
in 1990. In 1993, she studied politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
at Swansea University
Swansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
, later gaining an honours degree at the same time as running Labour's successful parliamentary campaign for Preseli Pembrokeshire
Preseli Pembrokeshire
Preseli Pembrokeshire was one of six local government districts of Dyfed in West Wales from 1974 to 1996. Until 1987 the name of the district was Preseli...
.
An active Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
member, Watson was leader of the Labour group on Pembrokeshire Council for six years. She was the only female member on Pembrokeshire County Council representing a ward within the Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency from 1995–2004. She was a member of Dyfed Powys Police Authority and the Pembrokeshire Spatial Plan working group. She has worked on social justice projects such as the award winning Garth youth project, which she chairs. Watson was Manager of the Wales Women’s National Coalition with an all Wales remit and was a senior member of the Wales Gender Budget Group and the NHS Equality Reference Group.
Watson was elected as an Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales in May 2007
National Assembly for Wales election, 2007
The 2007 National Assembly election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the National Assembly for Wales. It was the third general election. On the same day local elections in England and Scotland, and the Scottish Parliament election took place...
.
She is currently a member of the Equality of Opportunity Committee, Communities and Culture Committee, Subordinate Legislation Committee and Finance Committee. Watson is also Rural Affairs spokesperson for Labour in the Assembly, a member of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly and Chair of the Cross Party Group on the Trafficking of Women and Children, which she set up. She is also Vice-Chair of the Cross Party Group on Eating Disorders and Vice-Chair of the Cross-Party group for Looked-after Children.
Personal life
Watson has run several businesses, including public houses, restaurants and retail outlets in Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.She is married to Colin and has three children, Heather, Fiona and William.
Watson's father was a prisoner of war during the Second World War, upon his return to the UK he was suspected of being a German spy. This was because he spoke Welsh as a first language and very little English but had learnt some German whilst overseas. Following his ordeal he brought up his children only speaking English. Watson is now learning Welsh, and her children were all educated in Welsh medium schools.
External links
- Joyce Watson AM Website
- Welsh Labour Party Website
- Website of the Welsh Assembly Government
- Member's page on the website of the National Assembly for Wales