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Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Rhun ap Iorwerth to fight for Ynys Môn seat at Westminster General Election

11 Jul 2022 2 minute read
Rhun ap Iorwerth. Picture by Plaid Cymru.

Plaid Cymru Senedd Member for Ynys Môn, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has said that he will put his name forward for the same seat at the next General Election.

Rhun ap Iorwerth has an almost 10,000 vote majority in the Senedd seat but the Westminster constituency is a three-way marginal between the Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and Labour.

Welsh Conservative Virginia Crosbie currently holds the Westminster seat on 35.5% of the vote, a majority of 1,968 votes. She resigned last week as a PPS in the Welsh Office in order to call for Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister.

“I have been asked many times over the years if I would stand for Westminster, but for me, the priority was to work through our Parliament in Wales to ensure the best for Wales and Anglesey,” Rhun ap Iorwerth said.

“That is still the national priority, of course – to develop and strengthen our democracy to ensure a fair and prosperous Wales.

“But it has also become clear to me, especially recently, that we must ensure a strong voice in Westminster, to protect our interests from the ongoing attempt to undermine that voice. The Voice of Wales in London rather than the other way around if you like, working side-by-side and respecting our own Parliament. I’m ready to do that, working to get the best for Anglesey and Wales.

“It’s time to unite Anglesey, and I believe I can do that – as someone who, I hope, has gained the trust of the people of the island. That is why, when the nominations open, I will put my name forward.”

‘Excellent’

Rhun ap Iorwerth had previously stood as Plaid Cymru leader in the Senedd in 2018, coming second to current leader Adam Price.

Plaid Cymru Westminster Leader Liz Savile Roberts responded to say that it was “great news”.

“Rhun ap Iorwerth would be an excellent representative for Anglesey and Wales at Westminster.”


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Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago

Bye bye Virginia, hello Rhun…

Richard 1
Richard 1
2 years ago

Well it’ll be good riddance to the atomic kitten. How will Rhun view the nuclear industry’s ambitions?

Dai Rob
Dai Rob
2 years ago
Reply to  Richard 1

He loves the Nuclear!!!

Gareth Cemlyn Jones
Gareth Cemlyn Jones
2 years ago

Newyddion da iawn. Pob lwc Rhun!

Mick Tems
Mick Tems
2 years ago

That’s marvellous news, Rhun! Crosbie will be trashed to hell and back!

Leigh Richards
Leigh Richards
2 years ago

Puzzling? I thought we wanted to ‘settle up not settle down’ at westminster? And while i appreciate the pressure Rhun seems to have come under to make this decision i fear it sends out all the wrong signals ie. it will be seen by the welsh public as a indication that plaid thinks the westminster parliament is more important than our own Senedd.

Last edited 2 years ago by Leigh Richards
hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago
Reply to  Leigh Richards

Point well made. It may also look like Rhun is just another career orientated politician who’s eager to climb that greasy pole. Better that he remains the elected representative and custodian of Ynys Mon’s interests at Y Senedd. Let someone else knock the Tory off her perch when the time comes.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

I think that is a bit unfair, I have only met him once but he struck me as a serious player and a staunch protector of all things dear to Wales…

CJPh
CJPh
2 years ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

That’s fair, Rhun has always seemed serious regarding Welsh matters. He is, however, a political player whose conceptualisation of Wales may very well still be nested within the broader British state – a pragmatist playing a long game when, as many of us believe, we don’t have the time or the dice on our side. We need representation from those willing to delegitimise San Steffan in favour of our own parliament. Whichever way you cut it, whatever his motivation, this seems to give credence to an institution he purportedly seeks to remove his nation from.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago
Reply to  CJPh

The priority is to to get rid of Virginia, and someone has to be there along side Liz, Hywel has a slim majority and Ben has the Lib Dem’s stalking him. Besides, Rhun’s mum will have the House fluent in Welsh in no time…No half measures on Ynys Mon…there is a lot of real estate and large amounts of money involved, before we mention second homes…Energy Island needs a Welsh voice in Westminster…

Last edited 2 years ago by Mab Meirion
Dai Rob
Dai Rob
2 years ago
Reply to  Leigh Richards

100%.
Lets just send all the best candidates to Westminster!!! :/

R W
R W
2 years ago

Excellent news. It’s imperative that Crosbie is beaten at the polls.

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

Looks like the “Atomic Kitten’s” just lost her 9 lives.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. #RhunApIorwerth

Aled Gwyn Job
Aled Gwyn Job
2 years ago

There’s some superficial logic to it, if Ynys Mon and Bangor are to be combined for the new Westminster seat because of the boundary review. Rhun’s high profile should be enough to win the seat. Perhaps Plaid also want to prime local voters for the new Senedd constituency for 2026, which will also follow the ‘two county’ model, albeit electing 6 members this time. But it’s still a very odd move for someone who has ambitions to be party leader to be packed off to London to shore up the numbers there. Surely nationalists should now be downplaying the role… Read more »

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
2 years ago
Reply to  Aled Gwyn Job

One could argue that it is logical. He wanted to lead Plaid but came second, so is unlikely to make the first spot at a later date. If he is keen to push Plaid’s Agenda in a different way to Adam Price then Westminster would give him another platform, especially if several Plaid MPs get elected. Do we not need a Welsh ‘Block’ in the Westminster bubble to call out the terrible things that the Tories are doing, especially in relation to Wales? Given the Starmer variant of Labour, the chances of getting a non Tory Government after the next… Read more »

CJPh
CJPh
2 years ago
Reply to  Peter Cuthbert

Or you go to political war, stop attending this illegitimate Parliament, label all Welsh Labour MPs as mere careerists propping up an illegitimate parliament (forcing the wedge within their party) and work to create a tangible, attractive alternative system for Cymru, from Cymru. Quivering or moaning from the back stalls of the Palace won’t do a damned thing. It never has. It never will.

Last edited 2 years ago by CJPh
Gareth Wyn Jones
Gareth Wyn Jones
2 years ago

Ynys Mon has to be plaid

R W
R W
2 years ago

Do you think anyone actually believes any of the nonsense you write?

NOT Grayham Jones
NOT Grayham Jones
2 years ago
Reply to  R W

i thought that was what the comments section was for- i see loads of nonsense on here all the time.

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
2 years ago

I also see a lot of trolling from a certain quarter, under a variety of silly names, or pretending to be Cynon…

SundanceKid
SundanceKid
2 years ago

Ah yes, that is why he has a nearly 10k majority on Ynys Môn!

Last edited 2 years ago by SundanceKid

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