Rhun ap Iorwerth

In this Welsh name, the surname is ap Iorwerth.

Rhun ap Iorwerth MS
Official portrait, 2021
Leader of Plaid Cymru
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 June 2023
President	The Lord Wigley
Deputy	Siân Gwenllian Delyth Jewell
Preceded by	Adam Price
Deputy Leader of Plaid Cymru
In office 23 October 2018 – 16 June 2023 Serving with Siân Gwenllian
Leader	Adam Price Llyr Gruffydd (acting)
Preceded by	Elin Jones (2016)
Succeeded by	Siân Gwenllian
Member of the Senedd for Ynys Môn
Incumbent
Assumed office 2 August 2013
Preceded by	Ieuan Wyn Jones
Majority	9,166 (37.8%)
Personal details
Born	Rhun ap Iorwerth Jones (1972-08-27) 27 August 1972 (age 52) Tonteg, Pontypridd, Wales
Political party	Plaid Cymru
Children	3[1]
Residence(s)	Llangristiolus, Ynys Môn
Profession	Politician and formerly a journalist
Website	www.rhunapiorwerth.cymru

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Welsh pronunciation: [r̥ɨːn ap ˈjɔrwɛrθ]; born 27 August 1972) is a Welsh journalist and politician who has served as the Leader of Plaid Cymru since June 2023. He has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Ynys Môn since 2013.

Early and personal life

Rhun ap Iorwerth was born in Tonteg, Rhondda Cynon Taf, to Edward Morus and Gwyneth (née Humphreys) Jones.^[2] Born Rhun ap Iorwerth Jones,^[3] his name is Welsh for 'Rhun, the son of Iorwerth', a name commonly anglicised as Edward.^[4] He uses ap Iorwerth as his surname.^[5]

He was brought up in Meirionydd and then Anglesey from age five.^[6] Both ap Iorwerth's parents were teachers and Welsh language campaigners.^[6] His father was a primary school headteacher who composed various songs and musicals for children and young people,^[2][7] including Cwm-Rhyd-y-Rhosyn, a collaboration with Dafydd Iwan.^[8] Ap Iorwerth has an older sister, Awen Iorwerth, an orthopaedic surgeon.^[9]

He attended Ysgol Rhyd-y-Main, Dolgellau, for a short period, before moving to Anglesey and attending Ysgol Gynradd Llandegfan (Llandegfan Primary School), followed by secondary education at Ysgol David Hughes, Menai Bridge.^[6] He then studied politics and Welsh at Cardiff University, and graduated in 1993.^[6][10]

After living in both Cardiff and London, ap Iorwerth lives in Anglesey with his wife and has three children.^[2]

Career

In 1994, ap Iorwerth joined BBC Cymru Wales, and worked as a journalist at BBC Westminster. Returning to Wales after the 1997 devolution referendum, he became BBC Wales's Chief Political Correspondent in 2001, a post he held for five years, before moving into presenting roles. He has been presenter of The Politics Show Wales, Dragon's Eye, ampm, BBC Radio Wales's Good Morning Wales, BBC Radio Cymru's Post Cyntaf breakfast news programme, the weekly political discussion programme Dau o'r Bae, and the BBC's main evening news programme for S4C Newyddion. He has also been a regular correspondent for BBC Network news, featuring on all BBC News channels. Outside news, he has presented numerous series for S4C, including its coverage of the National Eisteddfod, Y Rhufeiniaid ('The Romans'), and the arts series Pethe.^[11]

In January 2012, ap Iorwerth was announced as one of the patrons of the Cronfa Betsi Fund, the charitable arm of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.^[12]

Political career

Rhun ap Iorwerth in 2014

On 20 June 2013, the former Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones resigned from the Welsh Assembly seat of Ynys Môn in order to take a post leading the new Menai Science Park,^[13][14] triggering a by-election in the constituency.^[15] In June 2013, BBC Cymru Wales announced that ap Iorwerth had stepped down from his role as a news presenter to pursue a Plaid Cymru nomination for the by-election.^[16]

The by-election provoked a local debate, in which Wylfa Nuclear Power Station became a key issue. The by-election was seen as key – had Welsh Labour won then they would have had an outright majority in the Assembly with 31 out of the 60 seats. The election on 1 August 2013 saw ap Iorwerth gain 12,601 votes, over the second-placed candidate Tal Michael (Labour), on a turnout of 42.45%.^[17][18]

In January 2014, he was appointed as Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on Economy and Enterprise,^[19][20] which also included Transport.^[21] Ap Iorwerth held his seat in 2016.^[22] Shortly after those elections, he was appointed as Shadow Minister for Health, as Plaid Cymru had become the second largest party.^[23] In October 2016 this ceased to be a shadow cabinet role, as Plaid ceased to be the second largest party.^[24] He unsuccessfully ran for the leadership of Plaid Cymru in 2018, losing to Adam Price. He was later appointed as joint deputy leader,^[25] and as Plaid Spokesperson for Economy and Finance.^[26][27] He also took responsibility for the Plaid Health portfolio in February 2020.^[28] In May 2021, he was reshuffled to just the Health and Social Care portfolio.^[29]

Rhun ap Iorwerth's office in Llangefni

In July 2022, he announced his candidacy to become Plaid Cymru's prospective parliamentary candidate in Ynys Môn for the 2024 United Kingdom general election.^[30] In October 2023 he was replaced as candidate by Llinos Medi.^[31]

In March 2023, as Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on health and care, ap Iorwerth called for a public inquiry into Betsi Cadwaladr health board failures and repeatedly called to replace Betsi with smaller health boards.^[32]

Leadership of Plaid Cymru

See also: Frontbench Team of Rhun ap Iorwerth

In May 2023, ap Iorwerth announced he was running to become leader of Plaid Cymru.^[33] He was elected unopposed.^[34]

On 17 March 2024, ap Iorwerth announced an early conclusion to the co-operation agreement between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, stating "I remain deeply concerned that the First Minister [Vaughan Gething] has failed to pay back the £200,000 donation to his leadership campaign from a company convicted of environmental offences, and believe it demonstrates a significant lack of judgment".^[35]

References

1. "Rhun ap Iorwerth visits Anglesey care homes". Plaid Cymru. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
2. Shipton, Martin (3 August 2013). "Rhun ap Iorwerth: My mother's death pushed me into politics". WalesOnline. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
3. "Index Entry". FreeBMD. Free UK Genealogy. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
4. "Discovering Wales and Welsh: first steps: 2.6 Welsh names". OpenLearn. The Open University. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
5. Hemming, Jez (5 June 2018). "Taxi for ... which North Wales AM managed to guess this Cardiff airport cab was meant for them?". North Wales Live. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
6. "Who is Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth?". BBC News. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
7. "Anrhydeddu Edward Morus Jones mewn gŵyl yn yr Unol Daleithiau". newyddion.s4c.cymru (in Welsh). Retrieved 30 May 2023.
8. "Celebrating 50 years of Cwm-Rhyd-y-Rhosyn with the Mentrau Iaith in Eisteddfod yr Urdd". Mentrau Iaith Cymru. 8 May 2024.
9. Rhun ap Iorwerth [@RhunapIorwerth] (22 March 2020). "I've always listened to my big sister. I want you to listen to her too. She's a Dr – the clever one in our family! – & she knows that if you've decided to visit your caravan/2nd home or to holiday in rural Wales, it's NOT clever. PLEASE help our local services: #gohome & #staysafe" (Tweet). Retrieved 5 June 2024 – via Twitter.
10. "The Welsh Nation – Autumn 2013 by Plaid Cymru – Issuu". issuu.com. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
11. "About Me". Rhun ap Iorwerth. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
12. "Cronfa Betsi Fund launched". Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
13. "Presiding Officer accepts resignation of Ieuan Wyn Jones". Assemblywales.org. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
14. "Ieuan Wyn Jones to stand down as AM with immediate effect". BBC News. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
15. "Ynys Mon by-election set for 1 August". BBC News. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
16. "BBC presenter Rhun ap Iorwerth seeks Plaid nomination". BBC Wales. 26 June 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
17. "Plaid's Anglesey win 'energising' for party, says Rhun ap Iorwerth". BBC Wales. 2 August 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
18. Shipton, Martin (2 August 2013). "Plaid candidate Rhun ap Iorwerth wins by a landslide in Anglesey by-election". WalesOnline. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
19. "Leanne Wood reshuffles Plaid Cymru's assembly team". BBC News. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
20. "Plaid Cymru announce cabinet reshuffle ahead of next general election". Wales Online. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
21. "£600m South Wales Metro 'must deliver on time'". BBC News. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
22. "Ynys Mon – Welsh Assembly constituency – Election 2016 – BBC News". Retrieved 1 July 2024.
23. "Plaid Cymru's Leanne Wood names 'strong' shadow cabinet". BBC News. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
24. "Plaid Cymru AM Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas quits party". BBC News. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
25. Masters, Adrian [@adrianmasters84] (23 October 2018). "New Plaid Cymru leader @Adamprice has appointed two deputies: @siangwenfelin and @RhunapIorwerth" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
26. "New Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price names frontbench team". BBC News. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
27. "Adam Price hands top jobs to leadership rivals in Plaid Cymru reshuffle". ITV News. 19 October 2018.
28. Sinclair, Tom (3 February 2020). "Reshuffle and refresh for Plaid group". Herald.Wales. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
29. "Welsh election: New Plaid Cymru Senedd members get frontbench roles". BBC News. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
30. "Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Rhun ap Iorwerth to fight for Ynys Môn seat at Westminster General Election". Nation.Cymru. 11 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
31. Mansfield, Mark (3 October 2023). "Llinos Medi confirmed as Plaid Cymru's candidate for Ynys Môn at next general election". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
32. "Plaid Cymru calls for public enquiry into Betsi Cadwaladr failures". Nation.Cymru. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
33. "Rhun ap Iorwerth confirms Plaid Cymru leadership bid". Nation.Cymru. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
34. Morris, Steven (9 June 2023). "Rhun ap Iorwerth set to become Plaid Cymru leader unopposed". The Guardian. London. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
35. Mansfield, Mark (17 May 2024). "Plaid Cymru pulls out of Co-operation Agreement with the Welsh Government". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 17 May 2024.

External links

• Official website

Senedd
Preceded by Ieuan Wyn Jones	Member of the Senedd for Ynys Môn 2013–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Darren Millar	Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care 2016–present	Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Llyr Gruffydd Acting	Leader of Plaid Cymru 2023–present	Incumbent