Ben Lake selected as Honorary President for this year’s National Eisteddfod

The National Eisteddfod has announced that Ceredigion MP Ben Lake has been selected as Honorary President for this year’s festival.

Mr Lake is Vice-Chair of the Westminster Welsh Affairs Committee and Plaid Cymru’s Westminster spokesperson on culture.

He follows a number of prominent Welsh people as the Eisteddfod’s Honorary President, including presenter and DJ, Huw Stephens, historian Elin Jones, and the former assistant manager of the Wales men’s football team, Osian Roberts.

In his role as Honorary President, Mr Lake will speak from the Pavilion stage at the festival, which takes place on the outskirts of Tregaron from 30 July – 6 August.

A native of Lampeter, Mr Lake’s family hails from the Llanddewi Brefi and Newcastle Emlyn areas.

He now lives in Ciliau Aeron, Ceredigion.

He was educated at Lampeter Comprehensive School, before graduating in History and Politics at Trinity College, Oxford, with a Master’s Degree in British and European Modern History.

He was treasurer of the Dafydd ap Gwilym Society while studying at university, and during his time as Society secretary, he was part of the team that organised the Oxford Eisteddfod in 2013.

He remains an enthusiastic supporter of the Society and takes every opportunity to help Welsh students celebrate their Welsh background.

On leaving university, he returned to his roots in west Wales, and worked as a researcher for Ceredigion Senedd Member, Elin Jones, before being elected as MP for the same constituency at the 2017 General Election.

He is currently the youngest MP in Wales, and the youngest ever elected for Plaid Cymru.

For more information on the National Eisteddfod and to buy Maes tickets, go to www.eisteddfod.wales.