Rhodri Glyn Thomas

Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM


Minister for Heritage
In office 11 July 2007 – 18 July 2008
First Minister	Rhodri Morgan
Preceded by	New office
Succeeded by	Alun Ffred Jones
Member of the Welsh Assembly for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 1999
Preceded by	New Assembly
Majority	8,469 (28.9%)
Personal details
Born	(1953-04-11) 11 April 1953 Wrexham, Wales
Political party	Plaid Cymru
Alma mater	University of Wales, Lampeter, Bangor University, Aberystwyth University
Religion	Congregationalist

Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM (born 11 April 1953) is a Welsh politician. He has been the Plaid Cymru National Assembly for Wales Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 1999, but did not re-stand for election in 2016.

Education

Thomas was born in Wrexham, Denbighshire. He attended Ysgol Bodhyfryd, Wrexham, and then Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, Wrexham before leaving for the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1975 to study for a degree in Welsh. After graduating in 1978, he studied for a BD degree in Theology at the University of Wales, Bangor and Bala-Bangor Theological Seminary under R. Tudur Jones. In 1991 he studied for a MTh degree at the University of Wales, Lampeter, reading American Theology although the final thesis he submitted was on the Union of Welsh Independents (Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg) role in the struggle to revive the Welsh Language in the 20th century.

Professional career

Thomas is a Minister of Religion, the director of a language consultancy, a former Chair of CND Cymru and Welsh spokesperson for the Forum of Private Business.

Political career

In 1992, Thomas fought the old Carmarthen constituency in the General Election for Plaid Cymru - Party of Wales. In the 1997 General Election he stood for Plaid Cymru in Carmarthen East & Dinefwr. In 1999 he fought the same constituency in the National Assembly Elections, winning by 6,980 votes. He was reelected in 2007 with an increased majority of over 8,000 making it the Assembly's second safest seat. Plaid Cymru entered into a coalition government with Welsh Labour in July 2007, and Rhodri Glyn Thomas was appointed as Minister for Heritage (19 July 2007), which he resigned from in 2008, over a gaffe.^[1]

Wales Book Of The Year Controversy

There was controversy at the Academi 2008 Wales Book of the Year ceremony when Thomas incorrectly announced that Tom Bullough was the winner. The prize was, in fact, awarded to Dannie Abse, Thomas having read the card wrongly.

Cigar controversy

In July 2008 Thomas is reported to have walked into a Cardiff pub with a lit cigar, thus breaking the law. Following this he has resigned his job from the Welsh Cabinet.^[2]

References

↑ "Heritage Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas quits". walesonline.co.uk. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
↑ "Cigar blunder minister quits job". bbc.co.uk. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2013.

ICWales article on the 2008 Welsh Book Of The Year

External links

Offices held

National Assembly for Wales
Preceded by (new post)	Assembly Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 1999–2016	Succeeded by Adam Price
Political offices
Preceded by (new post)	Minister for Heritage 2007-2008 *11 July 2007 to 18 July 2008*	Succeeded by Alun Ffred Jones

Members of the National Assembly for Wales 2011–2016

4th Assembly

Labour (30)	Leighton Andrews Mick Antoniw (Rosemary Butler) Christine Chapman Jeffrey Cuthbert Alun Davies Keith Davies Mark Drakeford Carwyn Jones † Rebecca Evans Vaughan Gething Janice Gregory John Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Edwina Hart Mike Hedges Jane Hutt Julie James Ann Jones Huw Lewis Sandy Mewies Julie Morgan Lynne Neagle Gwyn R Price Jenny Rathbone David Rees Carl Sargeant Ken Skates Gwenda Thomas Joyce Watson

Conservatives (14)	Mohammad Asghar Angela Burns Andrew R. T. Davies † Byron Davies/Altaf Hussain Paul Davies Suzy Davies Janet Finch-Saunders Russell George William Graham Janet Haworth Mark Isherwood David Melding Darren Millar Nick Ramsay

Plaid Cymru (11)	Jocelyn Davies Llŷr Huws Gruffydd Bethan Jenkins Alun Ffred Jones Elin Jones Ieuan Wyn Jones † (leader/AM till June 2013) Rhodri Glyn Thomas Leanne Wood † (leader from June 2013) Rhun ap Iorwerth (AM from Aug 2013) Simon Thomas Lindsay Whittle

Liberal Democrats (5)	Peter Black Eluned Parrott William Powell Aled Roberts Kirsty Williams †

Presiding Officer: Rosemary Butler † = Party leaders

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 Saturday, May 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.