Alun Cairns
A Welsh Conservative stalwart who navigated the turbulent politics of Brexit as Secretary of State for Wales before his parliamentary career ended in electoral defeat.
Born 1970 (age 56)·British Conservative politician·Birthday: July 30·Generation X
Biography
Alun Cairns rose through the ranks of Welsh politics as a pragmatic and media-savvy operator for the Conservative Party. Elected as MP for the Vale of Glamorgan in 2010, he built a reputation as a loyal government minister, holding various junior roles before his appointment as Secretary of State for Wales in 2016. His tenure coincided with the most politically volatile period in recent British history, tasked with implementing the Brexit vote while managing the delicate dynamics between Westminster and the devolved government in Cardiff. Cairns advocated for major infrastructure projects like the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon and the electrification of the Great Western Mainline into Wales. His time in cabinet ended in 2019 following a political controversy, but he remained a backbench MP until the 2024 election, where he lost his seat in the Labour landslide, marking the close of a significant chapter for Welsh Tories.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Alun was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alun Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Alun's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Secretary of State for Wales from 2016 to 2019, overseeing Welsh interests during the Brexit negotiations.
- Successfully campaigned for and secured government commitment to the electrification of the railway line from London to Swansea.
- Served as a Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party with responsibility for Welsh affairs prior to entering cabinet.
- Was the first Conservative to be elected MP for the Vale of Glamorgan since the constituency's creation in 1983.
Did You Know?
Before politics, he had a career in marketing and public relations, including a role with the Welsh Rugby Union.
He is a fluent Welsh speaker and often used the language in parliamentary debates and public appearances.
He lost his seat in the 2024 general election to a Labour candidate, ending 14 years as an MP.
He served as a Reservist in the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) for over 15 years.
“Our focus is on delivering the infrastructure and investment Wales needs.”
