• Source: Darren Millar

      • Darren David Millar (born 1976) is a Welsh politician who has served as the leader of the Welsh Conservatives since December 2024, and Member of the Senedd (MS) for Clwyd West since 2007.


      Background


      Millar lives in the Kinmel Bay area with his wife and two children. He enjoys reading and history, and is a Christian, attending Festival Church. He has been a citizen of both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for decades.


      Political career


      Millar joined Clwyd North Conservative Association at age 15, and shortly after became chairman.


      = Local government

      =
      In 1999, Millar ran for the Towyn ward on Conwy County Borough Council, and for Towyn and Kinmel Bay town council. He was not elected to the county council, but was elected to the town council. From 2000 to 2001, Millar was mayor of the township of Towyn and Kinmel Bay. He was also a member of Conwy County Borough Council from 2004, the North Wales Police Authority and the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
      In 2005, he was the sole dissenter to a budget that saw an increase of 5% in the policing budget, and therefore an increase in local council tax.
      In 2006, while a member of Conwy Council, Millar was referred to the standards watchdog, after complaints from the Unite, Unison and GMB trade unions about comments he made alleging that staff were abusing or misusing the sick pay system.


      = Senedd

      =
      In the 2003 Senedd election, at age 25, he stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate for the Vale of Clwyd.
      Millar was first elected to represent Clwyd West in 2007, and was re-elected in the 2011, 2016 and 2021 elections.


      Third Senedd


      In 2006, Millar was selected to contest the Clwyd West seat. During a hustings in April of 2007, Millar allegedly described homosexuality as a sin, and stated he believed that creationism should be taught in science lessons. Millar alleged that he had been misrepresented, and stated that he did not believe anyone should be discriminated against on the basis of sexuality, and stated that "school governors, parents and teachers should have flexibility in their curriculum". He was successfully elected to the Clwyd West seat, unseating the incumbent Labour MS, Alun Pugh. Pugh was the only Cabinet Minister to be defeated in the election.
      After his election to the Senedd in 2007, Millar was appointed Shadow Minister for Environment and Planning by Nick Bourne. While in this role he campaigned for targets to reduce emissions, supported the banning of single-use plastic bags, and was supportive of investment in biofuels. He also initially said that fear of flooding must not prevent construction on floodplains, but that "you've also got to look at strengthening our flood defences", but later supported a ban on building on floodplains, and a substantial increase in spending on flood defences.
      He was critical of the Welsh Government's provision of free prescriptions, saying it would lead to prescription tourism, and that he was aware of caravan owners who registered with GPs in his constituency to avoid paying charges.
      He served in this role until February 2009, when he was moved to be Shadow Minister for Communities and Local Government. In November 2010, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Economy and Transport.


      Fourth and Fifth Senedds


      After his re-election in 2011, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Health by interim leader Paul Davies. He retained this role after Andrew RT Davies was elected leader and formalised the interim Shadow Cabinet, and throughout the remainder of the term. After the 2016 Senedd elections, Millar was appointed Welsh Conservative education spokesperson, as Plaid Cymru became the Official Opposition. In April 2017, he became Shadow Minister for Education, as the Welsh Conservatives returned to opposition.
      Millar was discussed as a candidate to replace Andrew RT Davies at the 2018 Welsh Conservatives leadership election, but he did not contest the election. After Paul Davies was elected as leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Millar was appointed as Welsh Conservative Chief Whip, Welsh Conservative Policy Director, and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs and International Relations.


      = COVID-19 regulations investigation

      =
      In January 2021 the Senedd Commission investigated Millar for an alleged breach of COVID-19 regulations. He resigned from his frontbench roles on 23 January 2021 after the leader Paul Davies resigned on the same day. Both Millar and Davies were later cleared of any wrongdoing by South Wales Police, Cardiff City Council, the Senedd Commission and the Senedd Standards of Conduct Committee. In April 2022 a report published by the Senedd Standards Committee found that no laws or standards of conduct had been breached.


      Sixth Senedd


      He returned to the role of Chief Whip in May 2021, after the 2021 Senedd election, alongside a role as Shadow Minister for the Constitution and North Wales.
      Millar has been drawn to table a Members' Bill on three occasions.
      In November 2023, he was selected as the Conservative Party prospective parliamentary candidate for the new constituency of Clwyd North at the 2024 general election. He came second, losing to the Labour candidate by 1,196 votes.
      In 2024, Millar tabled a non-binding motion of no confidence in First Minister Vaughan Gething, over donations made during the 2024 Welsh Labour leadership election and the sacking of former Social Partnership Minister Hannah Blythyn. The motion passed 29-27. Gething described the motion as a 'gimmick' and said he would remain as First Minister.


      = Leadership of the Welsh Conservatives

      =
      After Andrew RT Davies resigned as leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Millar put out a statement saying he would run to lead the party. He quickly obtained the support of six of his colleagues, Paul Davies, Russell George, Tom Giffard, James Evans, Altaf Hussain and Gareth Davies within 24 hours, and the whole group within 48 hours.


      Broader career


      Millar is the chief executive of a Christian organisation that he works for alongside his job in politics.


      Political views




      = Brexit

      =
      He was one of four then-sitting Conservative MSs (along with Andrew RT Davies, Janet Finch-Saunders and Mark Isherwood) to vote for Brexit in the 2016 Brexit referendum.


      = Prescription charges

      =
      Millar has been a "fierce critic" of NHS prescriptions having been made free.


      = Women's rights

      =
      Millar has stated he is pro-life but that he "believes in freedom of choice and personal responsibility" and is "not a person who likes to impose [his] views on other people".


      References




      External links



      Darren Millar MS (Darren Millar official website – English language)
      Darren Millar AS (Darren Millar official website – Welsh language)
      Senedd Cymru: Members Profile
      Welsh Conservatives: Profile

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