Alun Cairns Replaces Stephan Crabb as Welsh Secretary

Alun Cairns, MP for the Vale of Glamorgan as been appointed as the new Welsh Secretary following Stephen Crabb’s appointment as the new work and pensions secretary, after Iain Duncan Smith resigned on Friday.

Alun Cairns immediately promised to work with continue working with communities, businesses and the Welsh Government to deliver a package for the whole of Wales.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:
“This has been an extraordinary week for Wales with a City Deal for Cardiff Capital Region, the doors being opened for a North Wales growth deal and negotiations for a Swansea Bay city deal.

The Severn tolls announcement demonstrates that Wales is open for business and I am determined to keep this momentum going and deliver on these projects.

I am privileged to accept the role as Secretary of State for Wales and look forward to being a strong voice at the Cabinet table to make sure that economic growth is felt across all parts of Wales.”

Aberconwy MP Guto Bebb takes over from Cairns as under secretary at the Wales office.

Mr Duncan Smith dramatically quit the Cabinet on Friday evening his resignation letter attacked the “indefensible” Budget and the planned cuts to disability while benefiting higher-earning taxpayers.

Iain Duncan Smith said in his resignation letter;

“I have for some time and rather reluctantly come to believe that the latest changes to benefits to the disabled and the context in which they’ve been made are a compromise too far,

“While they are defensible in narrow terms, given the continuing deficit, they are not defensible in the way they were placed within a Budget that benefits higher-earning taxpayers. They should have instead been part of a wider process to engage others in finding the best way to better focus resources on those most in need.

“I am unable to watch passively whilst certain policies are enacted in order to meet the fiscal self-imposed restraints that I believe are more and more perceived as distinctly political rather than in the national economic interest.”

David Cameron hit back saying he was “puzzled and disappointed” hinting the move may be more to do with Duncan Smith’s position on Europe.

Who is Alun Cairns?