Not just a two horse race

Henry Price

Much of the talk about the new Pen-y-Bont Morgannwg seat has centred around the brewing contest between the incumbent Plaid MS, Luke Fletcher, and the internal party contest to top the list for the constituency.

The well-known Plaid Cymru councillor, Mark Hooper, leaning into a support base in the Vale of Glamorgan has put himself forward as a  challenger.

But this is an open race, and the contenders may be surprised by other candidates with an exceptionally strong offer for the party membership and the electorate.

Campaigner and social justice advocate Sarah Rees has entered the selection race to become Plaid Cymru’s candidate for the new Pen-y-bont Morgannwg Senedd seat—bringing with her a track record of delivering real change outside the political establishment.

Sarah Rees grew up in a single-parent family in the Valleys and has spent her life campaigning for a fairer Wales. From fighting for flexible working to promote gender equality, to championing access to childcare and education for parents, her work has already impacted countless lives across the country.

A groundbreaker in Welsh politics

What many may not know is that Sarah Rees was the first person to serve as a de facto ‘locum MS’ in the Senedd—stepping in as Regional Engagement Manager to cover for Bethan Sayed during her maternity leave. Although the legal framework for locum MSs was not yet in place, Rees’s tenure set a powerful precedent.

“Despite having all the skills, it still took confidence to rip the plaster off and publicly put myself forward,” she said. “The real difference was knowing I could do the job—because I already had experience of it, and the achievements I made in that challenging position still drive me today.”

Thrown into the role at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rees juggled working from home, caring for her young family, and studying for a Graduate Diploma in Law at Cardiff University. Still, she helped amplify the voices of new families across Wales and supported Sayed’s work on lockdown maternity rights.

Bethan Sayed said, “I couldn’t have hoped for a better ‘Locum MS’—Sarah campaigned with diligence, passion, and deep integrity on my behalf.”

Head of Oxfam

As Head of Oxfam Cymru, Rees has ensured that Welsh values—of fairness, peace, and internationalism—are represented at the heart of Welsh politics. Under her leadership, Oxfam Cymru ensured the Senedd stood firmly for a ceasefire in Gaza, reflecting Wales’ identity as a nation of peacebuilders.

In it to win it!

While some may assume that Sarah Rees is running for the second position on the regional list – Plaid Cymru’s gender equality rules ensure alternate spots fall to alternate genders despite this provision being dropped from the Senedd legislative process – she is in fact a strong contender for the top spot, fronting up to Luke Fletcher and Mark Hooper as more than equal in both experience and talent.

Rooted locally, thinking globally

Rees has strong ties to the Pen-y-bont Morgannwg area. With family roots across the Vale of Glamorgan, she previously led a European-funded project in Bridgend that supported women furthest from employment—through a social enterprise she founded after being made redundant while on maternity leave in 2014.

She was also sponsored by the Rotary Club of Llanilltyd Fawr to serve as a Global Ambassadorial Scholar in the Philippines, promoting Wales abroad and strengthening global ties. In this, she joins a list of Welsh alumni that includes former First Minister, now Baron, Carwyn Jones of Penybont.

Her campaign is rooted in lived experience: “I know what it’s like when opportunity feels out of reach. That’s why I’ve spent my life fighting to build a fairer Wales—one where your background doesn’t define your future.”

With three in ten children in Wales still living in poverty, rising to more than four in ten of under fours, Rees has pledged to make child poverty a central focus of her campaign. During the pandemic, she challenged Labour-led Bridgend Council for outsourcing free school meal provision to a Bristol-based firm, resulting in substandard food parcels. Her crucial work supporting highlighting the concerns of local families helped build momentum for Plaid Cymru’s policy of universal free school meals delivered under the Cooperation Agreement.

A vision for Pen-y-bont Morgannwg—and for Wales

Sarah Rees’s campaign priorities include:

• A Fair Economy – Putting people before corporate profits and keeping wealth within Welsh communities.
• A Nation Free from Poverty – Leading an ambitious strategy to end child poverty in Wales.
• A Local Care Fund – Donating a portion of her salary to support unpaid carers and grassroots care organisations, in partnership with local members.

Rees is calling on Plaid Cymru members across Pen-y-bont Morgannwg to support her candidacy—not just because of her experience, but because of her vision. “Plaid Cymru is the party for all those who believe Wales can do better—for everyone across our communities that calls Wales home. We need a Senedd team in 2026 that will build a Wales that works for everyone.”

The first hustings in this most interesting of contests will be at 10:30am on Saturday 12th April at the Heronston Hotel, Bridgend – local Plaid party members would be well advised to attend with an open mind before choosing their lead candidate – may the best horse win!