Elin Jones

{{short description|Welsh Plaid Cymru politician, Llywydd of the Senedd}}

{{For|other people of a similar name|Ellen Jones (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Right Honourable

| name = Elin Jones

| honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MS|size=100%}}

| image = Elin-jones.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Jones in 2021

| office = Llywydd of the Senedd

| deputy = Ann Jones
David Rees

| term_start = 11 May 2016

| term_end =

| predecessor = Rosemary Butler

| successor =

| office1 = Deputy Leader of Plaid Cymru

| leader1 = Leanne Wood

| term_start1 = 17 July 2012

| term_end1 = 11 May 2016

| predecessor1 = Helen Mary Jones

| successor1 = Siân Gwenllian
Rhun ap Iorwerth

| office2 = Minister for Rural Affairs

| term_start2 = 19 July 2007

| term_end2 = 11 May 2011

| firstminister2 = Rhodri Morgan
Carwyn Jones

| predecessor2 = Carwyn Jones

| successor2 = Lesley Griffiths

| office3 = Member of the Senedd
for Ceredigion

| majority3 = 12,145 (39.5%)

| term_start3 = 6 May 1999

| term_end3 =

| predecessor3 = Constituency established

| successor3 =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|09|1|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Lampeter, Wales

| death_date =

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| birthname =

| nationality =

| party = Plaid Cymru

| otherparty =

| spouse =

| relations =

| children =

| residence =

| alma_mater = Cardiff University,
Aberystwyth University

| occupation =

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}}

Elin Jones (born 1 September 1966), {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|PC}} {{Cite web|url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2022-03-16-List-of-Business.pdf|title=List of Business - 16 March 2022, Privy Council|website=GOV.UK}} {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MS}} is a Welsh politician who has served as the Llywydd of the Senedd since 2016. A member of Plaid Cymru, Jones has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Ceredigion since 1999.{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=James Barry|last2=Osmond|first2=John|title=Inclusive Government and Party Management: The National Assembly for Wales and the Work of Its Committees|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CSYvDI9LzEYC&pg=PA183|access-date=16 November 2014|year=2001|publisher=Institute of Welsh Affairs|isbn=9781871726695|page=183}}

Background

Jones attended Llanwnnen Primary School and Lampeter Comprehensive. She graduated from University of Wales, Cardiff with a BSc in Economics and took a post-graduate MSc in Agricultural Economics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1989.{{cite web |url= https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/news/archive/2011/06/title-99398-en.html|publisher= Aberystwyth University|title= Alumni at the Senedd|access-date=2020-05-14}} Previously she was employed as an Economic Development officer for the Development Board for Rural Wales. She is a former Shadow Environment, Planning and Countryside Minister.{{Cite web|url=http://www.assembly.wales/en/memhome/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?mid=162|title=Member Profile|website=National Assembly for Wales|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-02-06}}

Jones speaks Welsh and English. She is also a former director of Radio Ceredigion and of Wes Glei Cyf, a television production company. She lives in Aberaeron and enjoys music, film, reading and formerly sang with the Welsh singing group Cwlwm.

Political career

Elin Jones served on Aberystwyth Town Council from 1992 to 1999 and was the youngest-ever Mayor of Aberystwyth from 1997 to 1998.{{Cite web |last=Forgrave |first=Andrew |date=2011-04-13 |title=Elin Jones: What you need to know |url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/elin-jones-what-you-need-2701648 |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=North Wales Live |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Rt. Hon. Elin Jones MS |url=https://senedd.wales/people/elin-jones-ms/ |website=Senedd.Wales}} She was the National Chair of Plaid Cymru between 2000 and 2002.{{Cite news |date=2012-07-17 |title=Plaid Cymru runner-up Elin Jones named deputy group leader |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-18872494 |access-date=2023-05-27}}

= National Assembly for Wales =

In the first Assembly elections in 1999 Elin Jones was elected as Assembly Member for Ceredigion and served as Shadow Economic Development Minister during the Assembly's first term. Following the Assembly election in 2003, she retained this portfolio until 2006 when she became Shadow Minister for Environment, Planning & Countryside. On 9 July 2007 the One Wales government was formed and Elin Jones was made Minister for Rural Affairs. Elin Jones continued in this position until Plaid Cymru left Government at the 2011 elections. Her record was criticized by George Monbiot in his 2013 book Feral.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2015/nov/09/allowing-scallop-dredging-in-strictly-protected-dolphin-reserves-is-madness|title=Allowing scallop dredging in 'strictly protected' dolphin reserves is madness {{!}} George Monbiot|last=Monbiot|first=George|date=2015-11-09|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-02-06}}

In the fourth Assembly she became Plaid's health spokesperson and unsuccessfully contested the leadership election following the resignation of Ieuan Wyn Jones.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-17381377|title=Leanne Wood is new Plaid leader|work=BBC News |date=15 March 2012}}

= Llywydd =

In the fifth Assembly she beat fellow Plaid Cymru AM Dafydd Elis-Thomas to become Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales by 34 votes to his 25.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-36256040|title=Elin Jones elected as presiding officer|work=BBC News |date=11 May 2016}} She is also Llywydd of the Welsh Youth Parliament

In June 2021, Jones attempted to ban Members of the Senedd from displaying flags in their offices.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-57586556.amp|title=No more flags on video calls, Welsh Parliament members told|date=23 June 2021|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}