Welsh health secretary Jeremy Miles has announced he will not stand in the 2026 Senedd election.

The Neath MS, who stood against Vaughan Gething to be leader of Welsh Labour in 2024, has written to his local party and the first minister to announce his decision.

He said having “had the opportunity to reflect over the summer recess” he has concluded that the end of the Senedd term is “the time to seek a new and different challenge”.

His announcement comes in an already difficult week for Labour in Wales – days after another opinion poll suggested support for the party was at a record low.

Miles, one of the first openly gay Senedd members, has served in several high-profile government roles since he was first elected to represent Neath in 2016, including health secretary, economy and energy secretary, Brexit minister, education minister and counsel general.

In his letter to Eluned Morgan, Miles said: “As you will know, being in frontline politics is all-consuming and takes precedence over so much else in life. The pressure is real and sustained over a long period.

“Upon reflection this summer, I decided that the end of this Senedd term is the time for me to seek a new and different challenge, one which allows me perhaps to strike a better balance between work and those in my life who I love.”

He expressed his support for Morgan: “Your energy and determination is unmatched in our parliament.

“You are the driving force focused on delivering for the people of Wales and you will continue to have my complete support during the rest of my time in the government and beyond.”

The first minister, in her response to Miles’ letter, said his “achievements for the people of Neath and the Welsh government have been completely remarkable”.

She added: “You’ve also been an important LGBT role model, as the first openly gay man to stand for election as leader of Welsh Labour and first minister. As you’ve said a number of times over the years, sometimes being yourself is the most powerful thing you can do for others.”

Jeremy Miles’ is the 14th sitting Labour MS to announce they won’t be standing again but his announcement is the most surprising and significant.

He had already publicly ruled out standing again to be Welsh Labour leader in 2024, he was still being talked about as someone who could do that job in the future.

Labour have hit a record low rating in the latest poll earlier this week, and people are speculating about potential future leaders.

Those close to Jeremy Miles say he accepted last summer that when he pulled back from challenging Eluned Morgan as first minister, he had his one shot at the job.

There is also the suggestion in the polls that Jeremy Miles couldn’t be certain of being re-elected, and he has decided over the summer that there are other things that he would like to focus on.

Miles has been at the forefront of Welsh politics for the past eight years serving as Brexit minister, education secretary, economy secretary and health secretary.

However, last year’s leadership contest – the circumstances around it, how it ended and the fallout – is inevitably what people will remember.

That period exposed real divisions within the Labour group and one MS told BBC Wales earlier this week those “damaged relationships” are still there.

That Labour group must now focus on next years election knowing that yet another of their number has decided he doesn’t want to return in May.