PENARTH CANDIDATE NEW CHAIR OF PLAID CYMRU

Dafydd Trystan elected at annual conference

Dafydd (right) with Cardiff South and Penarth UK parliament candidate, Ben Foday

Plaid Cymru’s Assembly candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth, Dafydd Trystan Davies, has been elected to chair Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales.

He won the support of party members at the annual conference, which was held this year in Aberystwyth.

A Higher Education Registrar, he is a former university lecturer and Chief Executive of Plaid Cymru. Before his election as chair, he was the party’s national treasurer.

Dr Davies, who lives in Cardiff with his wife, Lisa, was educated at Ysgol Rhydfelen and Aberystwyth University, where he gained a first class honours degree in international politics and was awarded a PhD for his thesis on the Welsh Economy and Globalisation.

He said: “I’m delighted to have been elected chair of Plaid Cymru, and my aim is to build on the strong foundations left by my predecessor, Helen Mary Jones.

"I have a very important role to play as a voice for members in the party, bringing together the volunteers across the country and linking them to our elected members and professional staff.

“I am keen to engage with our young members, to ensure a higher percentage of women candidates and to attract people from all backgrounds to The Party of Wales. I want to hear from those who are interested in contributing to Plaid Cymru, whether or not they are party members."

A keen environmentalist, he chairs the prize-winning social enterprise, Cycle Training Wales. He is also a director of the recycling charity, Too Good To Waste, and a board member of the sustainable transport body, Sustrans Cymru.

A keen marathon and half-marathon runner, he was a marshal for this year’s Cardiff Half-Marathon.
Anyone wishing to get in touch with Dafydd can contact him on dafyddtrystan@yahoo.co.uk or on 07966 705890. You can follow him on Twitter @dafyddtrystan.

JOBS AND ECONOMY TOP PRIORITY FOR PLAID

Ben Foday (second left) shaking hands with Dafydd Trystan with supporters

There are huge challenges ahead for Penarth that need addressing.  Issues such as inappropriate development, a proper Local Development Plan and a major focus on the economy are crying out for action. This was the message from the Westminster and National Assembly candidates for Plaid Cymru at the launch of their campaigns.

Party members were buoyed by the stunning Assembly by-election result in Anglesey and the equally impressive Caerffili council by-elections victories this month.

Jobs and the economy are top of Plaid agenda with a special emphasis on public bodies such as councils and the Health Trusts sourcing goods and services from local companies. If we could achieve the level that the Scottish Government manages to use local companies an extra 46,000 jobs could be created in Wales.

Ben Foday standing for Westminster said, “I am so delighted to be Plaid Cymru’s candidate in Cardiff South and Penarth for the 2015 Westminster election. This shows clearly that Plaid Cymru is a party is for everyone in Wales in general and Cardiff South and Penarth in particular. I am determined to give this true image of the party to the electorate over the period leading to the election.

Dafydd Trystan the Assembly candidate said, “I look forward to talking to thousands of residents across the constituency over the years ahead and placing Plaid's positive vision before the people in 2016. I'm sure that people will respond positively to the contrast between Plaid's vision and Labour's inaction.”

Massive Victory for Plaid Cymru on Ynys Môn

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. 

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:

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) 12,601 (58.24%, +16.82%) 

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.