Price gives his former rivals top jobs in Plaid leadership team
PLAID Cymru leader Adam Price has unveiled his shadow cabinet with senior-ranking roles for former leadership rivals Leanne Wood and Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Mr Price, who won last month’s contest with 49.7% of first-preference votes, portrayed his team as the men and women who would take leadership roles in the Welsh Government after the 2021 election.
The party claims that more than 3,000 members have joined in the past three weeks.
The Carmarthen East and Dinefwr AM said: “I am honoured to lead a strong and united shadow cabinet that has a radical and transformative programme for government.
“By utilising the talents and experiences of all our elected Assembly Members, we are ready to demonstrate what can be achieved by a committed, determined party of government with a radical imagination and the political will to carry it out.
“We are calling time on this tired Labour Welsh Government. Now’s the time for new energy, new ideas, a new direction and a new dynamic. The change begins now.”
Here is the new Plaid leadership team:
■ Adam Price AM: Leader – For years Mr Price was seen as a leaderin-waiting. Now he faces the challenge of delivering on the high expectations of his supporters. He was politicised by the miners’ strike, and as an MP attempted to have Tony Blair impeached over the invasion of Iraq. His skills as an activist and an Opposition politician won him respect beyond his party, but can he get Plaid into a position where it can lead a government?
■ Rhun ap Iorwerth AM: Economy and Finance – The Ynys Mon AM won 28% of the first-preference votes in the leadership election. The charismatic former broadcaster was formerly Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport.
■ Leanne Wood AM: Housing and Social Justice – Ms Wood led the party from 2012 until this September, when she finished third in that month’s contest with 22.3% of firstpreference votes. Winning Rhondda from Labour’s Leighton Andrews in 2016 will be seen as a highlight of her time at the top of the party.
■ Sian Gwenllian AM: Education and the Welsh Language – Arfon AM Ms Gwenllian worked as a journalist for both the BBC and ITV and held senior positions on Gwynedd Council before entering the Assembly in 2016. She was previously Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Welsh Language, Local Government and Equality.
■ Llyr Gruffydd AM: Environment and Rural Affairs – The north Wales AM has strong links to the rural community and still lives on a family farm near Ruthin. He worked as a press officer for Plaid’s MEPs and was first elected as an AM in 2011. He previously held the Education and Lifelong Learning portfolio.
■ Helen Mary Jones AM: Health and Social Services – The Mid and West Wales AM served in the Assembly from 1999 until 2011 but returned to the Senedd via the regional list this year when Simon Thomas resigned. Before entering the Assembly she worked in crime prevention and with young offenders.
■ Steffan Lewis AM: External Affairs – The South Wales East AM has taken a leading role in shaping the party’s response to Brexit and has held the Finance and External Affairs brief. He has won cross-party respect for how he has responded to a cancer diagnosis and has a reputation as one of his party’s most eloquent politicians.
■ Bethan Sayed AM: Post-16 Education, Skills and Innovation – The former President of Aberystwyth Guild of Students represents South Wales West and has been an AM since 2007. She was previously the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Housing, Poverty and Plaid’s steel spokesman.
■ Dr Dai Lloyd AM: Local Government, Care and Public Services – The GP-turned-South Wales West AM previously spoke on Social Services and Public Health. Born in Tywyn, Gwynedd, he studied medicine in Cardiff and worked in Swansea.