Patricia Law (née Bolter, born 17 March 1954) is a Welsh politician who was the
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice AM for
Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent (; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South East Wales, south-east of Wales. It borders the Local government in Wales, unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly County Borough ...
in
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
between 2006 and 2011.
Background
Patricia Bolter was born in
Nantyglo
Nantyglo () is a village in the ancient parish of Aberystruth and county of Monmouth situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Blaina and Brynmawr in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent.
Governance
An Wards and electoral divisions of ...
,
Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent (; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South East Wales, south-east of Wales. It borders the Local government in Wales, unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly County Borough ...
, in 1954. She was educated in Nantyglo Junior School, Glanyravon Secondary Modern School and Ebbw Vale College. She trained as a Nursing Assistant in an EMI unit for Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, before marrying
Peter Law. The couple were married for 30 years and had five children and one grandchild.
During Peter Law's term as AM and MP, Trish Law worked in his constituency office. She was Mayoress of Blaenau Gwent in 1988–89, Secretary of Abertillery and Blaina Inner Wheel Club (Rotary) and for a short period of time was Secretary of the League of Friends at Blaina Hospital.
Political career
After Peter Law's resignation from the Labour Party due to the imposition of an
all-women shortlist
All-women shortlists (AWS) is an affirmative action practice intended to increase the proportion of female Members of Parliament (MPs) in the United Kingdom, allowing only women to stand in particular constituencies for a particular political p ...
, and later death from a
brain tumour
A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign (non-cancero ...
on 25 April 2006, Trish Law was supported by
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group, the group formed by those who helped Peter Law overturn a 19,000 Labour majority at the
2005 General Election. She won the seat at a
by-election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections.
A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...
on 29 June 2006. Labour also failed to regain the
Westminster
Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...
seat as Peter Law's former campaign manager,
Dai Davies, was elected to replace him.
Following her election, the
National Assembly for Wales
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 ...
became the first UK legislature to have a female majority of representatives. Although an independent, Law backed Labour's Assembly Budget after Finance Minister
Sue Essex accepted two of her demands: a commitment that women's refuges will be set up in all Welsh counties that don't currently have one; and the opening of a therapy centre in Blaenau Gwent for people suffering from depression, stress and low self-esteem. This and other campaigns meant Law won the
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcasting, public broadcaster in Wales.
It is one of the four BBC national regions, alongside the BBC English Regions, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Established in 1964, ...
award for Campaigning Politician of the Year.
Law won re-election as an independent at the
2007 National Assembly for Wales election
The 2007 National Assembly for Wales election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Senedd, National Assembly for Wales. It was the third general election. On the same day local elections in England and Scotland, as well as the ...
.
In November 2008, Law attempted to prevent a reading by poet
Patrick Jones, arranged by Liberal Democrat AM
Peter Black and scheduled to take place in the buildings of the Welsh Assembly on 11 December 2008. Jones had been invited by Black to give a reading from his book ''Darkness Is Where the Stars Are'', after the bookseller
Waterstone's had cancelled a launch event for the book following threats to disrupt the event from Christian fundamentalist group
Christian Voice, led by Stephen Green.
Notwithstanding that the
UK's blasphemy law had been repealed, Law wrote to
Welsh Parliament Presiding Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas
Dafydd Elis Elis-Thomas, Baron Elis-Thomas, (; 18 October 1946 – 7 February 2025) was a Welsh politician who served as the leader of Plaid Cymru from 1984 to 1991 and represented the Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency in the Senedd from 199 ...
to ask him to forbid the reading, saying: "I am disgusted that, two weeks before Christmas Day, it is proposed to proceed with the reading of blasphemous poems which are an insult to Jesus Christ and to all his followers."
Her request for censorship was refused, Assembly Commission chief executive
Claire Clancy saying: "Neither officials nor the Assembly Commission make judgments on the nature or purpose of these events, except to ensure they would not give rise to any legal problems. Assembly buildings are public buildings, and secular in character. It is our responsibility to ensure that events sponsored by any Assembly Members are always allowed to take place without fear of disruption or intimidation, while respecting the right to peaceful protest."
In August 2010, Law indicated that she would not seek re-election at the 2011 Assembly election.
Sources
External links
Biography at National Assembly for Wales(archived on 8 January 2007)
Offices held
{{DEFAULTSORT:Law, Trish
1954 births
Living people
Independent members of the Senedd
Wales AMs 2003–2007
Wales AMs 2007–2011
Independent politicians in Wales
Welsh socialists
Female members of the Senedd
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice politicians
Welsh Christians