Westminster has abandoned Môn – that’s why I want to stand to be the MP

*English follows below*

Carmen Smith, ymgeisydd ar gyfer enwebiad Plaid Cymru ar Ynys Môn

Carmen Smith ydw i. Dw i’n dod o Ynys Môn, a dw i’n gofyn am gefnogaeth aelodau Plaid Cymru Môn i’w cynrychioli yn etholiadau nesaf San Steffan.

Ers tair blynedd bellach rydym wedi bod yn dyst i’r ymladd Brexit mewnblyg rhwng y blaid Lafur a’r Ceidwadwyr, a hynny ar draul ein cymunedau.

A dros y cyfnod hwn, dw i wedi mynnu llais i Fôn ac i Gymru.

Dw i wedi bod yn aelod gweithgar o’r Blaid am nifer o flynyddoedd. Dw i wedi troedio strydoedd yr Ynys yn cnocio drysau a sgwrsio gyda phobol Môn, gan gefnogi ymgyrchoedd Cynghorwyr y Blaid a’r Aelod Cynulliad.

Dw i hefyd wedi gweithio gyda Chomisiynydd Heddlu a Throsedd Gogledd Cymru, Arfon Jones, i wthio agenda radical newydd dros ddadgriminaleiddio cyffuriau. Bûm hefyd yn rhan flaenllaw o’r ymgyrch yn erbyn alltudio myfyrwraig Prifysgol Bangor a’i theulu.

Yn yr Hydref y llynedd anerchais dros 700,000 o bobol yng Ngorymdaith y Bobol yn Parliament Square yn Llundain, gan sôn am effaith ddinistriol Brexit ar gymunedau fel Môn.

Eleni, cefais yr anrhydedd o sefyll dros Blaid Cymru yn etholiadau Senedd Ewrop. Dyma’r tro cyntaf i’r Blaid guro Llafur mewn etholiad cenedlaethol.

A dros y misoedd diwethaf, dw i wedi gweithio law yn llaw gyda Jill Evans, Aelod o Senedd Ewrop dros Gymru, gan roi llais i’n cenedl yn rhyngwladol.

A dw i’n barod i roi fy angerdd a fy mhrofiad ar waith dros bobol Ynys Môn.

Cefais fy magu ar yr Ynys. Mynychais Ysgol Pentraeth cyn astudio yn Ysgol David Hughes ac yna Coleg Menai. Dw i wedi gweithio mewn sawl busnes bach ar draws yr Ynys, gan gynnwys yn Llangefni, Porthaethwy a Llanfaes. Hefyd cefais interniaeth gyda grŵp Watkin Jones.

Mae ysbryd annibynnol yr Ynys, ei chymeriadau a’i harfordir creigiog yn parhau i fy ysbrydoli. Mae’r Ynys hon yn bwysig iawn imi. Dyma fy nghartref.

A mynnwn gael ein clywed!

Mae cyfradd diweithdra Ynys Môn yn uwch na’r cyfartaledd cenedlaethol, ac mae hi’n anodd dod o hyd i waith yma. Mae cannoedd o bobol ifanc yn ffoi o’r ardal pob blwyddyn er mwyn chwilio am waith. Dyma realiti dw i wedi gorfod wynebu fy hun.

A phan mae modd canfod gwaith, pwy sy’n medru fforddio prynu tŷ?

Mae ystadegau hefyd yn dangos bod Ynys Môn ar waelod tablau mesur ffyniant Cymru a’r Deyrnas Gyfunol. Ac mae un mewn tri o blant yn byw mewn tlodi ar yr Ynys. Un o fy mhryderon fwyaf yw y gallai hyn waethygu pe bai ni’n gadael yr Undeb Ewropeaidd heb gytundeb.

Mae’r pryder hyn yn cael ei rannu ar draws y gogledd; o Gaergybi i Wrecsam. Does dim syndod bod pobol yn teimlo fel ein bod ni’n cael ei gadael ar ôl.

Dyw gwleidyddiaeth hen-ffasiwn pleidiau San Steffan ddim yn ffit i bwrpas. Tro ar ôl tro mae’r pleidiau mawr hyn wedi methu a delio gyda’r problemau sy’n ein hwynebu yma ar Ynys Môn.

Wedi degawdau o danfuddsoddiad, diffyg swyddi a chyfleoedd, mae gennym oll yr hawl i fod yn ddig.

Dw i’n falch iawn fy mod i’n hanu o Ynys Môn. Dw i’n falch iawn o fod yn Gymraes. Mae Cymru yn genedl flaengar, amrywiol ac arloesol gyda hanes balch, treftadaeth gyfoethog a diwylliant ac iaith unigryw.

Pe bawn i’n cael cefnogaeth aelodau’r Blaid Ynys Môn i gwffio etholiad nesaf San Steffan ar eich rhan, byddaf yn gweithio’n ddiflino gyda chi i sicrhau bod pobol yr Ynys yn falch o bleidleisio dros Blaid Cymru.

I’m Carmen Smith. I’m from the isle of Anglesey, and I am asking Plaid Cymru members of Ynys Môn to support me to be their next Westminster candidate.

From the top corner of Wales we have witnessed for three years the tedious fighting between Labour and the Tories over which version of Brexit they prefer, whilst our communities are forgotten and neglected.

And I have not remained silent during these years.

I have been an active member of the Party for a number of years; frequently canvassing and knocking doors for our councillors and Assembly Members, pushing forward a radical policy on the decriminalisation of drugs with North Wales PCC Arfon Jones, and campaigning against far right actions and policies including the attempted deportation of a Bangor University student and her family.

Last October, I spoke passionately about Ynys Môn and Wales in front of 700,000 people at the People’s Vote March in London’s Parliament Square.

This May, I had the privilege and opportunity to campaign as a Plaid Cymru candidate in the European Elections – the first time Plaid Cymru have beaten Labour in a Wales-wide election.

And over the recent months, I have been working shoulder to shoulder with our MEP Jill Evans in giving Wales a voice internationally.

And now, I am ready to use my experiences and passion for the people of Ynys Môn.

I grew up on Ynys Môn. I attended Ysgol Pentraeth on the east of the island before studying at Ysgol David Hughes and then Coleg Menai. I’ve worked in a number of small businesses across the Island in Llangefni, Porthaethwy and Llanfaes. I also interned at the Watkin Jones Group.

I’ve been shaped by the island, its independence and character, the craggy coastline and endless beaches. The island is important to me. It’s where my home is.

And we must be heard.

The rate of unemployment on Ynys Môn is higher than the national average and finding a job here is hard. A number of young people are moving away day by day.

This is a reality which I have faced along with a number of my friends, there just aren’t enough job opportunities there for us. And even if we found jobs, how could we afford to buy a house and settle there when young working-class people like myself are priced out of the market?

The ONS has shown that Ynys Môn is not only at the bottom of the Welsh prosperity league, but the whole of the UK. One in three children grow up in poverty on the island. I fear that with a Crash Out Brexit, that poverty is only going to get much worse.

It’s the same story across the north of Wales from Holyhead to Wrexham. It just feels like we’ve been abandoned.

The outdated politics of the Westminster parties have proven time and again that they are unfit to deal with the problems facing Ynys Môn and Wales.

After decades of under-investment, no jobs and no opportunities, we have a right to be angry.

I am proud to be from Ynys Môn. I’m proud to be from Wales. Wales is a brilliant, diverse and innovative nation with a proud history, heritage and distinct culture and language.

If selected by party members in Ynys Môn, I would work tirelessly alongside them to ensure residents across the constituency can be proud to vote for Plaid Cymru.