Llyr Gruffydd
{{Short description|Welsh politician, Member of the Senedd}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Llŷr Gruffydd
|honorific-suffix = MS
|image = Llyr-gruffydd.jpg
|office = Leader of Plaid Cymru
|deputy = Rhun ap Iorwerth
Siân Gwenllian
|status = Acting
|term_start = 16 May 2023
|term_end = 16 June 2023
|predecessor = Adam Price
|successor = Rhun ap Iorwerth
|office1 = Member of the Senedd
for North Wales
|term_start1 = 6 May 2011
|term_end1 =
|predecessor1 = Janet Ryder
|successor1 =
|birth_name = Llŷr Huws Gruffydd
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|9|25|df=y}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Plaid Cymru
|education = Aberystwyth University (BA)
}}
Llŷr Huws Gruffydd, (born 25 September 1970) is a Welsh Plaid Cymru politician, serving as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for the North Wales region since 2011. He acted as interim leader of Plaid Cymru from 16 May to 16 June 2023.
Education and early career
Gruffydd attended Bro Myrddin Welsh Comprehensive School and Aberystwyth University where he graduated with a BA degree in Welsh.{{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|accessdate=2020-05-14}}
He began his working career as a youth worker, then worked for Wales Youth Agency and the Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services and then as a project manager for an economic development company. Gruffydd has also been a Management Consultant for the National Trust in Wales.{{Cite web |title=Llyr Gruffydd MS |url=https://senedd.wales/people/llyr-gruffydd-ms/ |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=senedd.wales |language=en-GB}}
Political Career
= Local Politics =
He was a Carmarthen Town Councillor, and Mayor of the Town from 2001-2002.{{Cite web |title=Town Council History |url=http://www.carmarthentowncouncil.gov.uk/Town_Council_History_1982.aspx |access-date=16 May 2024 |website=Carmarthen Town Council}}
= National Politics =
Gruffydd stood for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire UK Parliament constituency at the 2001 general election, coming third,{{Cite web |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} VOTE 2001 {{!}} RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES {{!}} Carmarthen West & Pembrokeshire South |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/129.stm |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}} and for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Welsh Assembly constituency at the 2003 Assembly elections, coming second.{{Cite web |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} VOTE 2003 {{!}} Carmarthen West & Pembrokeshire South |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/vote2003/welsh_assembly/html/129.stm |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}} He then stood for Clwyd West seat at the 2010 General Election, but was not elected.{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} Election 2010 {{!}} Constituency {{!}} Clwyd West |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/election2010/results/constituency/w19.stm |access-date=2024-05-16 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}
He has served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for the North Wales region since 2011.{{Cite web |title=Llyr Gruffydd MS |url=https://senedd.wales/people/llyr-gruffydd-ms/ |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=senedd.wales |language=en-GB}} In the 2011 Senedd election, he was returned as one of the four members of the Senedd for the North Wales region, being the first placed candidate on the Plaid Cymru list.{{cite web|url=http://www.senedd.assemblywales.org/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=46|title=Election results for North Wales – National Assembly for Wales Regional Elections 2011|publisher=National Assembly for Wales|accessdate=8 April 2015}}
In October 2018, Llyr Gruffydd took on the Plaid Cymru role for the environment and rural affairs.{{Cite news |date=2018-10-19 |title=New Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price names frontbench team |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-45908487 |access-date=2023-05-25}}
Gruffydd is Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on finance and local government and he is also the chair of the Senedd committee on climate change, environment and infrastructure, and a member of the committee for scrutiny of the First Minister; committee for culture, communications, welsh language, sport and international relations, and the Llywydd's committee.{{Cite web |title=Plaid Cymru appoints Llyr Gruffydd as interim leader after Adam Price's resignation |url=https://news.sky.com/story/plaid-cymru-appoints-llyr-gruffydd-as-interim-leader-after-adam-prices-resignation-12878257 |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Sky News |language=en}} He also chairs the cross-party group on horseracing, as well as being a member of cross-party groups on mental health, North Wales, public transport, renewable and low carbon energy, rural growth, shooting and conservation, small shops, sport and tourism.
= Interim Leadership of Plaid Cymru =
On 11 May 2023 he was nominated as the interim leader of Plaid Cymru following the resignation of Adam Price.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-11 |title=Plaid Cymru appoints Llyr Gruffydd interim leader |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-65556917 |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=bbc.co.uk}} He served as Plaid Cymru's interim leader from 16 May until 16 June, when Rhun ap Iorwerth was elected unopposed as the new party leader.{{cite web |title=Plaid Cymru : Adam Price to formally resign as leader in the Senedd, so what happens next? |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2023-05-16/its-adam-prices-last-day-as-plaid-cymru-leader-so-what-happens-next |access-date=16 May 2023 |publisher=ITV Wales}}{{cite news|date=16 June 2023|title=Plaid Cymru: Rhun ap Iorwerth takes over as party leader|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-65928575 |work=BBC News }}
During his leadership, Gruffydd maintained the co-operation agreement between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru. He was also critical of the party's inaction on misconduct within the party, which led to Price's resignation and his interim leadership.{{Cite news |date=2023-05-13 |title=Plaid Cymru should have acted on misconduct - Gruffydd |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-65582828 |access-date=2024-05-16 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Personal life
Llyr Gruffydd was born and raised in Carmarthenshire and now lives close to Ruthin in Denbighshire.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Branwen |date=2023-05-11 |title=Plaid Cymru names new acting leader |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/llyr-gruffydd-ms-plaid-cymru-26890234 |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=WalesOnline |language=en}}
He is the father of four children.{{Cite web |title=About Llyr |url=https://www.llyrgruffydd.wales/about |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=Llyr Gruffydd MS (Eng) |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://archive.today/20130415145540/http://www.english.plaidcymru.org/llyr-huws-gruffydd/ Llyr Huws Gruffydd], profile at the site of Plaid Cymru official site
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|wal}}
{{s-bef|before=Janet Ryder}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Senedd
for North Wales|years=2011–present}}
{{s-inc}}
|-
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Adam Price}}
{{s-ttl|title=Leader of Plaid Cymru
Acting|years=May–June 2023}}
{{s-aft|after=Rhun ap Iorwerth}}
{{s-end}}
{{Plaid Cymru}}
{{Current MSs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gruffydd, Llyr Huws}}
Category:Leaders of Plaid Cymru
Category:Plaid Cymru members of the Senedd
Category:Welsh-speaking politicians
Category:Alumni of Aberystwyth University
{{Wales-MS-stub}}