Mrs Justice Mary Stacey DBE
UK High Court Judge who swore in Rhun ap Iorwerth as First Minister of Wales on 12 May 2026.
Last refreshed: 14 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for Mrs Justice Mary Stacey DBE
Plaid takes Cardiff after 27 years
UK Local Elections 2026- Who swore in Rhun ap Iorwerth as First Minister of Wales?
- Mrs Justice Mary Stacey DBE, a High Court judge, administered the oath of office to Rhun ap Iorwerth at the first sitting of the new Senedd on 12 May 2026.Source: Welsh Government
Background
The Honourable Mrs Justice Mary Stacey DBE is a judge of the King's Bench Division of the High Court of England and Wales. On 12 May 2026 she administered the oath of office to Rhun ap Iorwerth at the first sitting of the new Senedd Cymru, making her the judicial officer who formally confirmed Wales's first non-Labour First Minister in 27 years. The swearing-in was conducted at the Senedd on the same day as ap Iorwerth's election as FM by the chamber.
Justice Stacey is a senior circuit judge elevated to the High Court bench. The assignment of a High Court judge to administer the FM oath reflects the constitutional status of the Welsh Government and the Senedd as devolved institutions established by statute. Her role here is ceremonial and constitutional rather than political, but her presence marks the legal transfer of executive authority in Wales.
