Mick Antoniw

Antoniw comes from a Ukrainian family, with a Danish mother [1] and came to the UK as a result of his father seeking refugee status in the UK following World War II.[2]

Antoniw came to Wales to study law at the Cardiff Law School, University of Wales in 1973.[3] He was President of the National Union of Students Wales from 1977 to 1979.[3]

He was a practising solicitor before his election to the Senedd, specialising in personal injury. Antoniw was a partner in Thompsons Solicitors, the specialist trade union solicitors, with whom he began his training in 1980.[4] He is a trustee of the Welsh Refugee Council.[3][4]

Antoniw has fostered dozens of other people's children in the 15 years prior to his election, saying "I know from my own experience of fostering how rewarding it is - and while often very challenging, the one thing it teaches is how quickly children can suddenly bloom when they are in a loving and caring environment."[5]

Antoniw was a leading member of the Wales Anti-apartheid Movement (WAAM) during the 1980s.[6] In 1981 he was elected as a Labour councilor to the South Glamorgan County Council for the Court ward, gaining the seat from the Conservatives. He was re-elected in 1985 but did not seek re-election in 1989.

At the 2011 Welsh Assembly election, Antoniw increased the Labour vote with a swing of 18.8%. His 11,864 votes amounted to over 50% of the poll; his majority over the second-placed Welsh Liberal Democrats candidate, Mike Powell, was 7,694.[7] At the 2016 Welsh Assembly election Antoniw's vote fell to 9,986 and his majority was reduced.[8]

He was appointed as Counsel General for Wales in June 2016. However, he departed from this role in November 2017 as part of a Government reshuffle, being replaced by Jeremy Miles.[9]

Antoniw is a fluent Ukrainian speaker and has used his knowledge of the language when meeting with Ukrainian officials including deputy prime minister Volodymyr Groysman at international summits, such as the European Union Committee of the Regions. He has stated that he is a supporter of Ukrainian accession to the European Union, a supporter of the country joining NATO, and does not support Ukrainian federalism.[2]

• 2019: Third Class of the Order of Merit of the Ukraine[10]

• Media related to Mick Antoniw at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website