Rhun ap Iorwerth (born 27 August 1972) is a Welsh journalist and politician serving as the Deputy Leader of Plaid Cymru since 2018. He has been the

Member of the Senedd A Member of the Senedd (MS; plural: ''MSs''; cy, Aelodau o'r Senedd; , plural:) (AS)., group=la is a representative elected to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; ). There are sixty members, with forty members chosen to represent individual Senedd ...

(MS) for Ynys Môn since

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...

Early and personal life

Born in Tonteg, he was educated at Ysgol Rhyd-y-Main and Ysgol Gynradd Llandegfan before going to Ysgol David Hughes in Menai Bridge. He studied politics and Welsh at

Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...

. He is married with three children, he and his family reside on the island of Anglesey.

Career

In 1994, he joined BBC Cymru Wales, and worked as a journalist at BBC Westminster. Returning to Wales after the 1997 devolution referendum, he became BBC Wales' Chief Political Correspondent in 2001, a post he held for five years, before moving into presenting roles. He has been presenter of ''The Politics Show Wales'', '' Dragon's Eye'', ampm, BBC Radio Wales' ''Good Morning Wales'', BBC Radio Cymru's ''Post Cyntaf'' breakfast news programme and weekly political discussion programme ''Dau o'r Bae'', and the BBC's main evening news programme for

S4C S4C (, ''Sianel Pedwar Cymru'', meaning ''Channel Four Wales'') is a Welsh language free-to-air public broadcast television channel. Launched on 1 November 1982, it was the first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking ...

''Newyddion''. He has also been a regular correspondent for BBC Network news, featuring on all BBC News channels. Outside news, he has presented numerous series for S4C, including its coverage of the National Eisteddfod, Y Rhufeiniaid, and arts series ''Pethe''. In January 2012, he was announced as one of the patrons of the Cronfa Betsi Fund, the charitable arm of the

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) ( cy, Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Betsi Cadwaladr) is the local health board of NHS Wales for the north of Wales. It is the largest health organisation in Wales, providing a full range of primary, commun ...

Political career

On 20 June 2013, former Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones resigned from the National Assembly for Wales seat in order to take a post leading the new Menai Science Park, triggering a by-election in the constituency. After gaining special dispensation from the Plaid national executive committee (as a serving political journalist, he could not nominally be a member of a political party and Plaid Cymru rules stipulated that candidates had to have been a member for 12 months), he was accepted as a nominee, and immediately stepped down from his role at BBC Cymru Wales on 26 June. The by-election provoked a local debate, in which Wylfa Nuclear Power Station became a key issue. The by-election was seen as key – had Welsh Labour won then they would have had an outright majority in the Assembly with 31 out of the 60 seats. The election on 1 August 2013 saw ap Iorwerth gain 12,601 votes, over the second-placed candidate Tal Michael (Labour), on a turnout of 42.45%. Ap Iorwerth held his seat in 2016 and in 2018 unsuccessfully ran for the leadership of Plaid Cymru. He was later appointed as joint deputy leader. Rhun ap Iorwerth's office

Ap Iorwerth has served as Plaid Cymru's spokesperson (Shadow Minister) for Economy and Transport and currently serves as their Shadow Minister for Health and Finance. In July 2022, he announced his candidacy to become Plaid Cymru's prospective parliamentary candidate in Ynys Môn for the next British general election.

References

External links

Plaid Cymru website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:ap Iorwerth, Rhun 1972 births Living people BBC Cymru Wales newsreaders and journalists Plaid Cymru members of the Senedd People educated at Ysgol David Hughes Wales AMs 2011–2016 Wales MSs 2016–2021 Wales MSs 2021–2026 Welsh-speaking politicians