Sarah Murphy (politician)

Sarah Murphy (born 20 October 1986) is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician, serving as Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing since July 2024.

She was elected as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for the Bridgend constituency at the 2021 Senedd election with a majority of 4,064.

Early life

Sarah Murphy was born in East Glamorgan General Hospital in Church Village in 1986, and grew up near Pontypridd with her family. She attended Cardinal Newman R.C. Secondary School and Coleg Morgannwg, before studying English Literature at Reading University from 2005 to 2008.

Professional career

After graduating, Murphy moved to Seoul, South Korea to teach English. She then returned to Cardiff as the Head of Events for Welsh Labour between 2009 and 2012, and then worked in London for a global property development company.

In 2016, she graduated from the School of Journalism, Media & Communication at Cardiff University with an MA (Distinction) in Digital Media & Society. She was awarded a scholarship from Cardiff University and a grant from the Leathersellers’ Company Charitable Fund to carry out her studies.  

In 2017, as the Research Analyst for Lee Waters AM, Murphy developed and implemented the first open-source, online crowdsourcing platform for a Welsh Assembly Member. Following the 2017 general election, she was appointed as the Senior Communications Manager to Anna McMorrin MP, and the then Senior Advisor to the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales.

From 2019, Murphy focused on social welfare and big data research, primarily for the Data Justice Lab at Cardiff University. She researches UK and international government's use of big data and algorithmic design for public services – with a focus on identifying potential data harms and discrimination against children and families. Her most recent research project investigates data-driven workplace surveillance.

Prior to being elected, she was the Chair of Sustainable Wales, a charity based in Porthcawl that supports community-based sustainable development. In 2020, she produced the webinar series "Circular Economy: A Design for Life" attended by leading experts from across Wales and the UK. Her most recent research contributed towards the findings and recommendations in the white paper: “The Datafied Workplace and Trade Unions in the UK” published by Cardiff University, Data Justice Lab and the European Research Council.

In March 2020, Murphy founded the Bridgend Coronavirus Support Group which had approximately 12,000 members and has raised money for Bridgend Foodbank and Splice Child and Family in Pyle.

She has written for the Welsh political blog Hiraeth about digital poverty and equal access to the internet.

Parliamentary career

On 7 May 2021, Murphy was elected as Member of Senedd for Bridgend.

Murphy was a member of the Reform Bill Committee, Equality and Social Justice Committee and the Health and Social Care Committee prior to being made a Minister within the Welsh Government. Through her committee work, Murphy has worked on inquiries into Debt and the Pandemic, HGV Driver Shortages, Bovine TB, and Minding the Future: the childcare barriers facing working parents. Murphy was also the Welsh Labour representative for the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly.

Mental Health Awareness

In May 2022, Murphy made a speech in the Senedd Chamber about her own experience with an eating disorder aged 14, during which, Murphy called for improved mental health services for young people and the establishment of an Eating Disorder Unit in Wales.

Murphy was invited to work with eating disorder charity, Beat to re-establish and Chair the Cross Party Group on Eating Disorders that was previously chaired by Bethan Sayed. Currently, the Cross Party Group has the support of members from the Welsh Conservatives, Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru. She is currently elected Chair of the group.

In September 2022, Murphy spoke on a panel at the Give Back Yoga Symposium, on the work of holistic medicine to treat eating disorders. Murphy spoke alongside Professor Susan Broderick of Georgetown, Dr. John Kelly of Harvard and James Marzolf PhD, Senior Director at the Whole Health Institute.

Murphy and Huw Irranca-Davies have worked with Bridgend County-wide mental health and wellbeing charities, organisations and groups to co-produce the Bridgend Mental Health Pathway directory website to direct people to support groups and services across the community.

Campaigns for Data Justice

Murphy has used her background in social welfare and big data research to draw attention to data justice policy areas within the Senedd Chamber. She has raised questions about the proliferation of biometric data collection within schools, workplace surveillance and workers’ rights online safety and AI.

In 2022, Sarah led on establishing the Senedd Cross Party Group on Digital Rights and Democracy whose aim is the create an open cross party forum to discuss the opportunities and challenges with leading experts and campaigners. The group has previously investigated the introduction of Open Source Software within the Welsh Government and the impact of Police Face Recognition Cameras. She is currently elected Chair of the group. Its current secretariat is the Open Rights Group.

Murphy was interviewed by Labourlist regarding digital rights in the workplace in the aftermath of the Covid-19 outbreak, in which, Murphy said "Digital rights are so crucial – and more and more so – and I would like to see them being seen in that way and prioritised more. That’s what I’m trying to do."

Campaigns for Social Justice and Equality

Murphy led the 2022 Chwarae Teg LeadHerShip programme which offered women aged between 16 and 22 the opportunity to shadow politicians in the Welsh Senedd. The LeadHerShip programme aims to ensure that women become better represented in such decision-making roles, and provide women with a platform so that their voices are heard and are inspired to see themselves as future leaders.

Local Campaigns

In December 2021, Murphy hosted the "Porthcawl Regen Dragon's Den" event at the Hi Tide Inn, Porthcawl for the community to share ideas for the upcoming Salt Lake Regeneration. A panel of judges, including special guest judge DJ Lee Jukes, gave feedback, and rated the ideas, from local businesses, organisations and societies in a positive and creative way.

Murphy was quoted as saying "As your representative in the Senedd, I care so much about hearing your ideas for how this should be done – and the regeneration at Salt Lake should be guided by the community."

Murphy documented her walk from Cornelly village to Cynffig Comprehensive Secondary School in Pyle experience, and raised awareness of, the length of time it takes for children to walk to school in all weather conditions following a number of public meetings with the local community Murphy has also raised this issue within the Senedd and written to Government Ministers to call for a review into current standards.

Murphy is also one of a number of politicians who condemned Zimmer Biomet for potentially closing their Bridgend-based factory and would go on to call for proper consultation to protect jobs.

Ministerial career

Following the sacking of her predecessor, Murphy was appointed as Minister for Social Partnership by First Minister Vaughan Gething on 17 May 2024.

Murphy was then appointed Minister for Mental Health and Early Years following a cabinet reshuffle following other cabinet resignations and Gething's announcement of resignation. She retained the role, renamed as Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, under Gething's successor as First Minister, Eluned Morgan, in September 2024.

Personal life

Murphy lives in Bridgend.

Murphy is currently a member of 5 trade unions, Unite the Union, Unison, GMB, CWU and USDAW. In 2023, Murphy took part in a Hiraeth live event titled 'Trade Unions and Welsh Society' alongside General Secretary of the Welsh TUC, Shavanah Taj and General Secretary of the RMT, Mick Lynch.

Murphy is also the Vice President of the Porthcawl Male Voice Choir. a member of Woodland Trust.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy, Sarah
Female members of the Senedd
Living people
Labour Co-operative members of the Senedd
Wales MSs 2021–2026
1986 births
21st-century Welsh women politicians
People from Church Village