Elin Jones (born 1 September 1966) is a Welsh politician who has served as the
Llywydd of the Senedd
, unofficial_names = Presiding Officer of the SeneddLlywydd / Presiding Officer of the Welsh Parliament
, insignia =
, insigniasize = 150px
, insigniacaption =
, image = File:Elin Jones AM (27889497280).jpg
, imagesize = 220px
, incum ...
since 2016. A member of
Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom.
Plaid wa ...
, Jones has been the
Member of the Senedd (MS) for
Ceredigion
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cer ...
since
1999.
Background
Jones attended
Llanwnnen
Llanwnnen is a village, parish and community located in the county of Ceredigion
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Cer ...
Primary School and
Lampeter
Lampeter (; cy, Llanbedr Pont Steffan (formal); ''Llambed'' ( colloquial)) is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales, at the confluence of the Afon Dulas with the River Teifi. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigion ...
Comprehensive. She graduated from
University of Wales, Cardiff with a
BSc
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...
in Economics and took a post-graduate
MSc in Agricultural Economics at the
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
, mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all
, established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'')
, former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth
, type = Public
, endowment = ...
in 1989.
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.
Jones speaks Welsh and English. She is also a former director of
Radio Ceredigion
''Radio Ceredigion'' () was an Independent Local Radio station that was broadcast to Ceredigion. It was broadcast across the county on 96.6, 97.4 and 103.3 FM.
On May 31, 2019, the station became a relay of Nation Radio Wales.
History
From its ...
and of Wes Glei Cyf, a television production company. She lives in
Aberaeron
Aberaeron, previously anglicised as Aberayron, is a town, community, and electoral ward between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, in Ceredigion, Wales. Ceredigion County Council offices are in Aberaeron. The name of the town is Welsh for ''mouth of ...
and enjoys music, film, reading and formerly sang with the Welsh singing group Cwlwm.
Political career
Elin Jones served on
Aberystwyth Town Council
Aberystwyth Town Council ( Welsh - Cyngor Tref Aberystwyth) is the community council that governs the ancient borough, town and community of Aberystwyth. For electoral purposes, it is divided into five electoral divisions (often known as wards). ...
from 1992 to 1999 and was the youngest-ever Mayor of Aberystwyth from 1997 to 1998. She was the National Chair of
Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom.
Plaid wa ...
between 2000 and 2002.
In the first Assembly elections in 1999 Elin Jones was elected as Assembly Member for
Ceredigion
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cer ...
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
One Wales ( cy, Cymru'n Un, ) was the coalition agreement for the National Assembly for Wales between Labour and Plaid Cymru agreed to by Rhodri Morgan, First Minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour, and Ieuan Wyn Jones, leader of Plai ...
government was formed and Elin Jones was made
Minister for Rural Affairs
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, commonly referred to as the Rural Affairs Secretary, is a position in the Scottish Government Cabinet. The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for rural Scotland and its islands, agriculture, fo ...
. Elin Jones continued in this position until Plaid Cymru left Government at the
2011 elections.
Her record was criticized by
George Monbiot
George Joshua Richard Monbiot ( ; born 27 January 1963) is a British writer known for his environmental and political activism. He writes a regular column for ''The Guardian'' and is the author of a number of books.
Monbiot grew up in Oxfordsh ...
in his 2013 book
''Feral''.
In the fourth Assembly she became Plaid's health spokesperson and unsuccessfully contested the leadership election following the resignation of
Ieuan Wyn Jones
Ieuan Wyn Jones (born 22 May 1949) is a Welsh politician who was the Deputy First Minister in the Welsh Government from 2007 to 2011. He was the Member of the Senedd for the Ynys Môn constituency from 1999 to 2013, and he was also leader of P ...
.
In the fifth Assembly she beat fellow Plaid Cymru AM
Dafydd Elis-Thomas
Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Baron Elis-Thomas (born 18 October 1946) is 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 1999 to 2021.
Born in Carmar ...
to become
Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales
, unofficial_names = Presiding Officer of the SeneddLlywydd / Presiding Officer of the Welsh Parliament
, insignia =
, insigniasize = 150px
, insigniacaption =
, image = File:Elin Jones AM (27889497280).jpg
, imagesize = 220px
, incum ...
by 34 votes to his 25.
In June 2021, Jones attempted to ban Members of the Senedd from displaying flags in their offices.
References
External links
Elin Jones' Official websitePlaid Cymru's Official website
Offices held
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Elin
1966 births
Living people
Councillors in Wales
Alumni of Cardiff University
Alumni of Aberystwyth University
Members of the Welsh Assembly Government
Mayors of places in Wales
Plaid Cymru members of the Senedd
Plaid Cymru politicians
Wales AMs 1999–2003
Wales AMs 2003–2007
Wales AMs 2007–2011
Wales AMs 2011–2016
Wales MSs 2021–2026
Welsh-speaking politicians
Women mayors of places in Wales
Female members of the Senedd
Presiding Officers of the Senedd
20th-century British women politicians
Women members of the Welsh Assembly Government
People from Ceredigion
Government ministers of the United Kingdom
Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Welsh politicians
People from Lampeter
Women councillors in Wales