Candidate says sorry for leaflet blunder
A WELSH Conservative Senedd candidate has apologised for a campaign leaflet in which he got the name of the constituency in which he is standing wrong.
Joel Williams is hoping to wrest Cardiff North from Labour’s Deputy Health Minister, Julie Morgan, who has represented the seat at what is now the Senedd since 2011.
Previously she was the constituency’s MP from 1997 until 2010.
In the Welsh-language version of Mr Williams’ leaflet, the seat is referred to as “Gorllewin Caerdydd”, meaning Cardiff West, when it should say “Gogledd Caerdydd”, the Welsh for Cardiff North.
Plaid Cymru Cardiff North candidate Ashley Drake said: “It is always a good idea for candidates to know which constituency they are actually standing in.
“I very much hope that this was an oversight rather than a slapdash attitude towards the Welsh language.
“As the Plaid Cymru candidate, there will be no confusion as to whom I want to represent in the Senedd.”
Mr Williams said: “I am sorry for this oversight, people make mistakes and this is the second constituency-wide newsletter in the past three months.
“I’m determined to engage with voters and run a positive campaign.
“My campaign will continue with energy and enthusiasm, like no other campaign in Cardiff North.” Mr Williams is not a Welsh-speaker. A source close to Mr Williams said he asked the Welsh Conservative Party to translate the English version of the leaflet into Welsh.
He is a sitting member of Cardiff council, representing the ward of Pontprennau and St Mellons.
In 2015, when he was 19, Mr Williams was runner-up in that year’s series of Big Brother.
He was born and raised in Cardiff and has lived in the Cardiff North constituency all his life. Educated at St Mellons Church in Wales Primary School and St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School, he developed an interest in representing the views of his peers, joining the School Council in the first few months of high school.
Later he attended St David’s Catholic College, studying history, law and economics. He holds a law degree from Cardiff University.
Mr Williams joined the Conservative Party at the age of 14.