Ann Jones (politician)

Margaret Ann Jones OBE (born 4 November 1953) is a Welsh Labour Co-operative[1] politician. Born in Rhyl, Denbighshire, Jones was the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Vale of Clwyd from 1999 until she retired in 2021. From 11 May 2016 until her retirement, she was the Deputy Presiding Officer for the Senedd.

Ann Jones
Jones in 2016
Dirprwy Lywydd of the Senedd
In office
11 May 2016 – 6 May 2021
Preceded byDavid Melding
Succeeded byDavid Rees
Member of the Senedd
for Vale of Clwyd
In office
6 May 1999 – 29 April 2021
Preceded byOffice Created
Succeeded byGareth Davies
Majority768 (3.1%)
Personal details
Born (1953-11-04) 4 November 1953 (age 70)
Rhyl, Wales
Political partyWelsh Labour Co-operative
SpouseAdrian Jones (d. 2020)
ChildrenVictoria & Vincent
ResidenceRhyl
CommitteesChildren and Young People, Finance & Scrutiny of the First Minister
Websiteannjones.org.uk

Family edit

Margaret Ann Jones was born to Charles Jones and Helen Jones (née Sadler) in Rhyl. She was educated at Rhyl Grammar School and Rhyl High School. She married Adrian Jones in 1973 and has 1 son and 1 daughter.[2]

Career edit

Ann worked as an Emergency Call Officer and a number of management positions in the control room of Flintshire Fire Brigade and Clwyd Fire Brigade between 1970 and 1979 and as a Fire Control Officer with Merseyside Fire Brigade from 1991 to 1999.[2]

Ann served as a national officer in the Fire Brigades Union for a number of years and has sat on the executive boards of the Welsh Labour Party and the Wales TUC. She is a member of UNISON and remains a 'out of trade' member of the FBU.[3]

Political career edit

Ann Jones was a member of Rhyl Town Council from 1991 to 1999, and Mayor of Rhyl in 1996–7. She was a councillor on Denbighshire County Council from 1995 to 1999 and agent for Chris Ruane MP at the 1997 General Election. She is a member of the Christian Socialist Movement.[2]

She was elected to the Senedd for the Vale of Clwyd in 1999, holding the seat at every Assembly Election since then, although the seat is very marginal.

Ann has chaired several Assembly Committees including the Children, Young People and Education Committee, the All Party Group on Deaf Issues and was chair of the National Assembly Labour Group from 2011 to 2016.[3] From 2011–2013, Jones chaired the Communities, Equalities and Local Government Committee.

Her political interests include education, tourism, community safety, regeneration, social policy and the Emergency Services. She is a fan of the Rhyl Town Football Club and she remains a Lillywhites season ticket holder.

In 2016 she was elected Deputy Presiding Officer of the National Assembly, defeating Labour Newport East AM, John Griffiths 30-29.

Jones was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for parliamentary and public service in Wales.[4]

Fire Safety Measure edit

In 2007, Ann Jones won a ballot and had the opportunity to introduce the first Senedd Measure from a backbench member. Ann Jones announced her intention to introduce legislation to make it mandatory to install a fire suppression system in  new homes. The process of transferring the law-making powers to the Senedd began in 2007 and in 2010 a Legislative Competence Order was made allowing the Senedd to legislate.[5] The Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure 2011 was debated in the Senedd in 2010 and 2011 before receiving Royal assent on 7 April 2011.[6]

In 2019 Ann Jones donated a collection of papers related to the legislation to the National Library of Wales.[7]

Elections edit

Elections in the 2010s edit

Senedd Election 2016: Vale of Clwyd[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ann Jones 9,560 39.5 −11.2
Conservative Sam Rowlands 8,792 36.4 +3.0
UKIP Paul Davies-Cooke 2,975 12.3 +12.3
Plaid Cymru Mair Rowlands 2,098 8.7 −2.6
Liberal Democrats Gwyn Williams 758 3.1 −1.6
Majority 768 3.1 -14.3
Turnout 42.9 +1.9
Labour hold Swing -7.1
Senedd Election 2011: Vale of Clwyd[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ann Jones 11,691 50.7 +14.3
Conservative Ian Gunning 7,680 33.3 −2.7
Plaid Cymru Alun Jones 2,597 11.3 −6.2
Liberal Democrats Heather Prydderch 1,088 4.7 −5.5
Majority 4,011 17.4 +17
Turnout 23,056 41.0 +0.7
Labour hold Swing +8.5

Elections in the 2000s edit

Senedd Election 2007: Vale of Clwyd[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ann Jones 8,104 36.4 −9.8
Conservative Matthew G. Wright 8,012 36.0 +5.3
Plaid Cymru Mark Jones 3,884 17.4 +3.3
Liberal Democrats Mark Young 2,275 10.2 +1.1
Majority 92 0.4 −15.1
Turnout 22,275 40.3 +3.8
Labour hold Swing −7.5
Senedd Election 2003: Vale of Clwyd[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ann Jones 8,256 46.2 +8.5
Conservative Darren Millar 5,487 30.7 +8.1
Plaid Cymru Malcolm W. Evans 2,516 14.1 −5.2
Liberal Democrats Robina L. Feeley 1,630 9.1 +2.9
Majority 2,769 15.5 +0.4
Turnout 17,889 36.5 −7.0
Labour hold Swing +0.2

Elections in the 1990s edit

Senedd Election 1999: Vale of Clwyd[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ann Jones 8,359 37.6 N/A
Conservative Robert Salisbury 5,018 22.6 N/A
Plaid Cymru Sion Brynach 4,295 19.3 N/A
Ind Dem Gwynn A. Clague 1,908 8.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Phill Lloyd 1,376 6.2 N/A
Independent David I. Roberts 661 3.0 N/A
Independent David A.P. Pennant 586 2.6 N/A
Majority 3,341 15.0 N/A
Turnout 22,203 43.5 N/A
Labour win (new seat)

References edit

  1. ^ "Ann Jones". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Welsh hustings, 1885–2004. Rees, Ivor Thomas. Llandybie: Gwasg Dinefwr. 2005. ISBN 1-904323-09-X. OCLC 61217355.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ^ a b "About Ann | Mwy am Ann". Ann Jones AM | Labour AM for the Vale of Clwyd. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  4. ^ "No. 63218". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2020. p. N12.
  5. ^ "Archive page – Progress of Orders and Measures". National Assembly for Wales. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Proposed Domestic Fire Safety (Wales) Measure". National Assembly for Wales. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Ann Jones AM (Women's Archive of Wales) Papers – National Library of Wales Archives and Manuscripts". archives.library.wales. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Vale of Clwyd – Welsh Assembly Constituency – Election 2016". BBC News. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll – Vale of Clwyd" (PDF). Denbighshire County Council. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
  10. ^ "Wales > Vale of Clwyd". BBC News. 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  11. ^ Election results – 2007 Archived 9 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, National Assembly for Wales
  12. ^ [1], National Assembly for Wales
  13. ^ [2], National Assembly for Wales

External links edit

Offices held edit

Senedd
Preceded by
(new post)
Member of the Senedd for Vale of Clwyd
19992021
Succeeded by
Preceded by Dirprwy Lywydd of the Senedd
2016–present
Vacant