Samuel Kurtz (usually known as Sam Kurtz) is a Welsh Conservative politician who has been

Member of the Senedd A member of the Senedd (MS; plural: ''MSs''; ; , plural: ) is a representative elected to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; ). There are sixty members, with forty members chosen to represent individual Senedd constituency, Senedd constituencies, a ...

(MS) for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire since the 2021 Senedd election. Kurtz has been the Welsh Conservatives' Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Energy since April 2024, and the Welsh Language since December 2024. Kurtz was a Pembrokeshire County Councillor from 2017 to 2022, representing Scleddau ward.

Personal life and education

Kurtz studied for a BA in Politics at the

University of the West of England The University of the West of England (also known as UWE Bristol) is a Public university, public research university, located in and around Bristol, England, UK. With more than 39,912 students and 4,300 staff, it is the largest provider of hi ...

. He grew up on a beef farm. Prior to his political career, Kurtz worked for the Pembrokeshire Herald and the

Western Telegraph ''The Western Telegraph'' is a Welsh regional newspaper covering Pembrokeshire and bordering Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The thr ...

Political career

Kurtz was elected to Pembrokeshire County Council in 2017. He represented Scleddau ward until the 2022 elections. The ward was abolished at this election, and split across the Llanrhian and Bro Gwaun wards. He was a press officer for Stephen Crabb in 2020. Kurtz was selected to replace the outgoing Angela Burns as Welsh Conservative candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire in 2020. Shortly after this, 3 tweets from when he was a student surfaced, in which he described an individual as a "gay boy", said someone "sounds a little gay" and described someone as “bisexual, and looks like shit off of a shoe”. Kurtz apologised for the comments. He was elected as MS for the constituency at the 2021 Senedd elections, with a majority of 936. From his election until 2024 he was the Welsh Conservatives' Shadow Rural Affairs and

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic languages, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales by about 18% of the population, by some in England, and in (the Welsh c ...

Minister in the

Senedd The Senedd ( ; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, Its role is to scrutinise the Welsh Government and legislate on devolve ...

. Kurtz has been the Conservatives' Shadow Minister for Economy and Energy since April 2024. In December 2024, the Welsh Language was re-added to his portfolio. He is also a member of two Senedd Committees: the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee. He is also a member of cross-party groups on armed forces and cadets, beer and pubs, diabetes, digital rights and democracy, fisheries and aquaculture, further education and skills, horseracing, small shops, tourism and welsh wool. He also chairs cross party groupings on rural growth and shooting and conservation.

Political views

Wales and The Constitution

Kurtz has backed the increase in size of the Senedd, against his party's policy, although he said this should not happen during a cost of living crisis. He further said that "we need to have a look at how the UK is set up" and described the existing constitutional settlement as "a mish mash".

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurtz, Samuel Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Conservative Party members of the Senedd Wales MSs 2021–2026 Welsh Conservative councillors People from Pembrokeshire Welsh-speaking politicians