This is a substantial, authoritative and comprehensive biography of one of Wales's leading and most prominent twentieth century politicians. Dr J. Graham Jones former Head of the Welsh Political Archive The remarkable story of James Griffiths takes us all the way from the origins of British Labour to the origins of devolved Wales. Ben Rees has crafted a highly-readable and authoritative account of the life and times of one of Wales's greatest statesmen Huw Edwards from the Introduction A product of the Welsh radical political tradition, James Griffiths became a miner at 13 and was a conscientious objector during WW1. He rose to become President of the South Wales Miner's Federation, the MP for Llanelli for 34 years, Chairman and then Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and the first Secretary of State for Wales in 1964. A significant figure in Welsh and British politics, James Griffiths, as Minister for National Insurance in the Atlee post-war government, introduced the Family Allowance in 1946 and became Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1950. Griffiths was also instrumental in the establishment of the Welsh Office.