Julie James (born February 1958)^[1] is a Welsh Labour politician serving as Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government, and Planning since 2024.^[2] James has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Swansea West since 2011.^[3][4][5] She served as Minister for Housing and Local Government from 2018 to 2021.

James was born in Swansea, and was raised in various places around the world with her family.^[6] Her parents had married young, and they did not have more children until she was 8. Her sister, 8 years younger, lives in Swansea and her brother, 13 years younger, is the musician Richard D. James (known as Aphex Twin).^[7][8][9] At the age of sixteen she joined the Labour Party and was the first of her family to study at university.^[10][11]

James first studied American Studies & History at University of Sussex, graduating in 1980. She then studied law at the Polytechnic of Central London, graduating in 1982, then went on to the Inns of Court School of Law in London to train as a barrister, passing the bar in 1983.

Her career started working as a policy lawyer with the London Borough of Camden. She then moved back to Swansea to raise her three children and start work for West Glamorgan County Council as the Assistant County Secretary (Legal Services).

James later worked for the City and County of Swansea Council, where her final post was Assistant Chief Executive (Governance). She left of her own accord at the signing of a contract by the Liberal Democrats which she 'thought' to have wasted "millions of pounds". She went on to join the law practice Clarkslegal LLP, specialising in environmental and constitutional law.^[10][12]

On 5 May 2011, James was elected as Assembly Member representing Swansea West.^[3]

She sat on several committees, including the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee, Enterprise and Business Committee and Environment and Sustainability Committee. She has chaired the procurement and common fisheries task and finish groups.^[13]

On 11 September 2014,^[14] she was appointed Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology during a reshuffle by Carwyn Jones, replacing Ken Skates who was appointed Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.^[15]

On 5 May 2016, James was re-elected as the Assembly Member for Swansea West by a higher majority than her previous term^[5] and was tipped at the time to be a likely candidate for a cabinet position.^[16]

On 3 November 2017, she was promoted to the Cabinet as Leader of the House & Chief Whip.^[17]

On 13 December 2018, following the election of Mark Drakeford to the position of leader of Welsh Labour and therefore First Minister, James was appointed Minister for Housing and Local Government.^[18]

Julie James caused controversy by siding with Hanson Quarries (now Heidelberg Cement UK) over the decision by Rhondda-Cynon-Taf to deny an extension to CraigyrHesg Quarry - which was due to cease operations in December 2022.

The appeal report claimed that "The dust assessments concluded that the potential impacts associated with both the continuation of existing activities and the proposed extension would be slight adverse at most." and that there were no "From all that I have seen and read there are no objections or concerns relating to landscape, visual impact, ecology, hydrology, cultural heritage, agricultural land quality impacts" ^[19]

This led to strong community action at the site when contractors, acting on behalf of Heidelberg Cement UK began removing trees and erecting fences.^[20]