Emrys Roberts (Plaid Cymru politician)

Emrys Pugh Roberts (born November 1931) is a former Welsh nationalist political activist.

Roberts studied at Cathays High School in Cardiff and then University College Cardiff. He joined Plaid Cymru in his youth, and stood for the party in numerous parliamentary elections, without ever being elected: the Newport by-election, 1956, Cardiff North at the 1959 UK general election, the Ebbw Vale by-election, 1960, then Cardiff North again in 1964. He was also active in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, serving for a while as secretary of its Welsh national council.^[1]

Roberts served as Organising Secretary for Plaid from 1957,^[2]^[3] then in 1960, became its General Secretary, serving for four years.^[4]

In 1964, Roberts left politics to take a prominent civil service job, but he quit this in 1972 to stand as the party's candidate in the Merthyr Tydfil by-election. He took a strong second place with 37% of the vote, providing hope for the party that they would gain seats in the next general election.^[4] He stood again in Merthyr Tydfil in the February and October 1974 UK general elections, gradually losing vote share. However, he was elected to Merthyr District Council, where he led the group of Plaid councillors. Under the leadership of Roberts, in 1976, Plaid took control of the council,^[5] the first authority it had ever run.^[6] They retained control until 1979.^[2]

In 1979, Roberts was elected as Vice President of Plaid, serving until 1981.^[2]

References

↑ The Times House of Commons 1964, p.195
1 2 3 Knut Diekmann, Die nationalistische Bewegung in Wales, p.641
↑ "Welsh nationalists' candidate", The Times, 8 September 1960
1 2 Dafydd Williams, The Story of Plaid Cymru, p.28
↑ David Barnes, The Companion Guide to Wales, p.148
↑ John Osmond, Creative Conflict: The Politics of Welsh Devolution, p.114

Party political offices
Preceded by John Edward Jones	General Secretary of Plaid Cymru 1962–1964	Succeeded by Elwyn Roberts

Plaid Cymru

Leadership

Leaders	Ieuan Wyn Jones (2006–2012) Leanne Wood (2012–present)

Assembly Group Leaders party leader since 2006	Dafydd Wigley (1999–2000) Ieuan Wyn Jones (2000–2012) Leanne Wood (2012–present)

Presidents party leader pre-2003 abolished 2013	Lewis Valentine (1925–1926) Saunders Lewis (1926–1939) John Edward Daniel (1939–1943) Abi Williams (1943–1945) Gwynfor Evans (1945–1981) Dafydd Wigley (1981–1984) Dafydd Elis-Thomas (1984–1991) Dafydd Wigley (1991–2000) Ieuan Wyn Jones (2000–2003) Dafydd Iwan (2003–2010) Jill Evans (2010–2013)

Vice-Presidents abolished 2013	Saunders Lewis (1925–1926) John Edward Daniel (1931–1939) Gwynfor Evans (1943–1945) Waldo Williams R. E. Holland W. R. P. George R. Tudur Jones (1957–1962) Wynne Samuel (1962–1964) Chris Rees (1964–1966) Edward Millward (1966–1968) Phil Williams (1968–1970) Robyn Lewis (1970–1976) Phil Williams (1976–1978) Dafydd Elis-Thomas (1979–1981) Phil Williams (1982–1984) Dafydd Iwan (1984–2003) Jill Evans (2003–2010) Chris Franks (2010–2013)

Chairs	Chris Rees (1966–1970) Phil Williams (1970–1976) Eurfyl ap Gwilym (1976–1980) Ieuan Wyn Jones (1980–1982) Dafydd Iwan (1982–1984) Syd Morgan (1984–1990) Ieuan Wyn Jones (1990–1992) John Dixon (1992–1994) Jillian Evans (1994–1996) Marc Phillips (1996–2000) Elin Jones (2000–2002) John Dixon (2002–2010) Gwenllian Lansdown (2010–2011) Rhuanedd Richards (2011–2012) Helen Mary Jones (2012–2013) Dafydd Trystan Davies (2013–present)

Honorary Presidents	Gwynfor Evans (1982–2005) Dafydd Wigley (2005–present)

Parliamentarians

Members of the European Parliament

Eurig Wyn (1999–2004)
Jillian Evans (1999–)

Members of the Welsh Assembly

Members of the UK Parliament

Members of Parliament

Former	Cynog Dafis (1992–2000) Dafydd Elis-Thomas (1974–1992) Gwynfor Evans (1966–70, 74–79) Ieuan Wyn Jones (1987–2001) Elfyn Llwyd (1992–2015) Adam Price (2001–2010) Simon Thomas (2000–2005) Dafydd Wigley (1974–2001)

Current	Edwards Saville-Roberts Williams

Lords

History of Plaid Cymru

Founders

Byddin Ymreolwyr Cymru (The Welsh Home Rule Army)	Moses Gruffydd Huw Robert Jones Lewis Valentine

Y Mudiad Cymreig (The Welsh Movement)	Fred Jones Saunders Lewis David Edmund Williams

Others	Ambrose Bebb David James Davies David John Williams

Related organisations

Cymru X

Category
Website

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, May 22, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.