Who is new Welsh secretary Robert Buckland and will he bid to become prime minister?

While Boris Johnson has announced that he will resign, he has said he intends to remain as Prime Minister until a successor is in place and so he has spent Thursday morning filling a raft of vacant posts. Robert Buckland QC has been appointed Welsh Secretary, replacing Simon Hart. ITV Cymru Wales' Political Editor Adrian Masters takes a look at his career to date...

Even though he represents a seat in England, Robert Buckland was born and brought up in Llanelli and considers himself a "proud Welshman."

After he became a barrister, he continued to practice in Wales and acted as a part-time judge right up until he became an MP in 2010.

An active Welsh Conservative, Sir Robert was a councillor in the 1990s.

He stood unsuccessfully as a candidate in the 1994 European parliamentary election, the Islwyn by-election in 1995 and Preseli Pembrokeshire in 1997.

In 1999, he was a leading light in the campaign against creating a Welsh Assembly but has since softened his stance on devolution. 

At the second time of trying, he became MP for South Swindon in 2010.

In government he has been Solicitor General, Prisons minister, eventually joining the cabinet as Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor in 2019 but was sacked by Boris Johnson in 2021 in favour of Dominic Raab.

He's married and lives in Wiltshire, making him the first Welsh Secretary to live outside Wales since the late Cheryl Gillan was sacked in 2012.

He was given a knighthood in the New Year's Honours in 2022 for public and political service.

The South Swindon MP has defended his decision to join Boris Johnson's caretaker Cabinet, saying he wanted to "serve our country".

“I felt it was right that I did that now. The issue about the Prime Minister and his character has been settled.

"He no longer has the confidence of the Conservative Party. He is resigning. That is right. But the business of government goes on. I’m here to help.”

Sir Robert Buckland also outlined his position on Mr Johnson's authority, stating “this Prime Minister no longer has the political authority to do new things."

When pressed on whether he would run for the role of Prime Minister, he declined to rule it out.

"What I’m focusing on is values. I talk a lot about One-Nation politics. I’ve always been a One-Nation Conservative, moderate Conservative.

“I will support a One-Nation candidate. I woke up this morning not expecting to be a Cabinet minister, so I’ve learnt to expect the unexpected in politics.”