John Griffiths is the Labour Senedd Member for Newport East, having first been elected in May 1999. In 2016, he was re-elected for his fourth term with a majority of 4,896.

John, his wife and family live in Newport.

Brought up in Pill, John attended Duffryn Comprehensive and then returned to formal education as a mature student, studying GCSEs and A Levels at the further education college in Nash.

He completed a law degree at Cardiff University before working as a lecturer in further and higher education and later practicing as a solicitor dealing with criminal law, personal injury and general civil litigation. He served as a councillor on Gwent County Council and Newport Borough Council before election to the Assembly.

John has served as a minister in the Welsh Government over successive Assembly terms including as Minister for the Environment, Minister for Culture and Sport,  Deputy Minister for Economic Development, Deputy Minister for Education, Deputy Minister for Health, Deputy Minister for Skills, Counsel General and Leader of the Legislative Programme. His political interests are economic development, social inclusion, education, Europe, the environment, sport and sub-Saharan Africa.

John chairs the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, and is also a member of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee and the Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister.

John is the chair of the Cross Party Group on Further Education and Future Skills, the Cross Party Group on Policing, the Cross Party Group on Poverty, the Cross Party Group on Smoking and is in the process of establishing the Cross Party Group on Race Equality and Biodiversity.

He is also involved in the following:

. Member of the Cross Party Group on Active Travel Act
. Member of the Cross Party Group on Smoking
. Member of the Cross Party Group on Biodiversity
. Member of the Cross Party Group on Co-operatives and Mutuals
. Member of the Cross Party Group on Law
. Member of the Cross Party Group on Mental Health
. Member of the Cross Party Group on Steel
. Member of the Cross Party Group on Sustainable Energy
. Member of the Cross Party Group on Wales International.

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John Griffiths yw’r Aelod Cynulliad Llafur dros Ddwyrain Casnewydd, ar ôl cael ei ethol gyntaf ym mis Mai 1999. Yn 2016, cafodd ei ail-ethol am bedwerydd tymor gyda mwyafrif o 4,896.

Mae John, ei wraig a’i deulu yn byw yng Nghasnewydd.

Cafodd John ei fagu yn y Pill, a mynychodd Ysgol Gyfun Dyffryn ac yna dychwelodd i addysg ffurfiol yn fyfyriwr aeddfed, gan astudio TGAU a Safon Uwch yng ngholeg addysg bellach Nash.

Enillodd radd yn y gyfraith ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd cyn gweithio fel darlithydd yn y sector addysg bellach ac addysg uwch ac yna gweithio fel cyfreithiwr yn ymdrin â chyfraith trosedd, anafiadau personol ac ymgyfreitha sifil cyffredinol. Mae wedi gwasanaethu fel cynghorydd ar Gyngor Sir Gwent a Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Casnewydd cyn cael ei ethol i’r Cynulliad

Mae John wedi gwasanaethu fel gweinidog yn Llywodraeth Cymru dros dymhorau dilynol y Cynulliad yn cynnwys fel Gweinidog yr Amgylchedd, Gweinidog Diwylliant a Chwaraeon, Is-ddirprwy Datblygu Economaidd, y Dirprwy Weinidog Addysg, y Dirprwy Weinidog Iechyd, y Dirprwy Weinidog Sgiliau, Cwnsler Cyffredinol ac Arweinydd y Rhaglen Ddeddfwriaethol. Ei ddiddordebau gwleidyddol yw datblygu economaidd, cynhwysiant cymdeithasol, addysg, Ewrop, yr amgylchedd, chwaraeon ac Affrica Is-Sahara.

Mae John yn cadeirio’r Pwyllgor Cymunedau, Cydraddoldeb a Llywodraeth Leol ac mae’n aelod hefyd o’r Pwyllgor ar Newid Hinsawdd, Pwyllgor yr Amgylchedd a Materion Gwledig ac yn aelod o’r Pwyllgor Craffu ar waith y Prif Weinidog. 

Mae John yn gadeirydd y Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Addysg Bellach a Sgiliau Dyfodol, y Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Blismona, y Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Dlodi, y Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Ysmygu ac mae wrthi’n sefydlu’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Gydraddoldeb Hiliol a Bioamrywiaeth. 

Mae’n ymwneud â’r canlynol hefyd: 

. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar y Ddeddf Teithio Llesol
. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Ysmygu
. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Fioamrywiaeth
. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Gwmnïau Cydweithredol a Chydfuddiannol
. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar y Gyfraith
. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Iechyd Meddwl
. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Ddur
. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Ynni Cynaliadwy
. Aelod o’r Grŵp Trawsbleidiol ar Undeb Cymru a’r Byd.