Island sends Rhun to Cardiff Bay
Champagne corks were popping across Anglesey and Wales last night as highly respected former BBC journalist, Rhun ap Iorwerth, recorded a resounding success and became the nation's newest Assembly Member.
Rhun, who lives with his family on the island where he also grew up, beat the shuttled-in Labour candidate Tal Michael into a distant second place with a stunning majority of 9,166 votes.
Such an emphatic result in the Assembly by-election, triggered by the stepping down of former Plaid Cymru leader and Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones, will be a sore disappointment for the Labour party who would have secured a majority in the Senedd had they taken the seat.
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| Rhun ap Iorwerth AM |
Newly elected Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales AM Rhun ap Iorwerth said:
“I am committed to being a strong local voice for the people of Ynys Môn. I will grasp with both hands every opportunity to push for action to boost our economy and create jobs on the island. I also look forward to working with Leanne Wood and my Plaid Cymru colleagues to ensure that we become the biggest party in Wales. This is a pivotal time for Anglesey, and I will work from the outset to deliver a brighter future for Ynys Môn.”
The result saw an increase of over 16% in Plaid Cymru's share of the vote:
Tal Michael (Lab) 3,435 (15.88%, -10.33%)
Nathan Gill (UKIP) 3,099(+14.32%)
Neil Fairlamb (Cons) 1,843 (8.52%, -20.70%)
Kathrine Jones (Soc Lab) 348 (1.61%)
Steve Churchman (Lib Dem) 309 (1.43%, -1.73%)
Plaid maj 9,166 (42.37%)
13.58% swing Lab to Plaid
Electorate 51,024; turnout 21,635 (42.40%, -6.29%)
Coming hot on the heels of Plaid Cymru's huge recent success in the island's county council elections this victory represents a party that is going from strength to strength, and it is clear that people are tired of the bland indifference to Wales consistently displayed by the London-based parties such as Labour.
The Party of Wales' positive campaign reflects a passionate desire to find real solutions to our nation's problems and to build a fair, equal and economically resurgent country of which we can all be proud. That desire is clearly now striking a chord with the people of Wales as we approach the 2016 Welsh national elections.
