Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid Cymru, formed his frontbench team of party spokespeople in the Senedd on 27 June 2023 after he was elected unopposed to succeed Adam Price as party leader on 16 June. He reshuffled his frontbench team on 6 June 2024 to prepare for the next Senedd election following the passage of a motion of no confidence in First Minister Vaughan Gething.
Frontbench Team of Rhun ap Iorwerth | |
|---|---|
 Frontbench Team of the Senedd | |
| June 2023–present | |
.jpg) ap Iorwerth's official portrait, 2021 | |
| Date formed | 27 June 2023 |
| People and organisations | |
| Leader | Rhun ap Iorwerth |
| Deputy Leader | Delyth Jewell |
| Member party | |
| Status in legislature | Opposition party 12 / 60 (20%) in co-operation with Welsh Labour until May 2024 |
| History | |
| Legislature term | 6th Senedd |
| Predecessor | Frontbench Team of Adam Price |
History
editRhun ap Iorwerth formed his frontbench team on 27 June 2023.[1] Delyth Jewell was appointed the new spokesperson for climate change and deputy leader of Plaid Cymru. Heledd Fychan was given a prominent role as the Plaid Cymru Group's new business manager.[2][3] She also became the spokesperson for education, Welsh language and culture.[4] Outgoing acting leader Llyr Gruffydd returned to the chairmanship of the Plaid Cymru Group and also became the spokesperson for agriculture and rural affairs.[2][1] Mabon ap Gwynfor became the group's chief whip and the spokesperson for health, social care and housing.[2][5] Other appointments included Peredur Owen Griffiths as spokesperson for finance and local government, Adam Price as spokesperson for justice and European affairs, Sioned Williams as spokesperson for social justice and social services and Luke Fletcher as Spokesperson for the Economy.[2][5]
On the formation of his frontbench team in June 2023, ap Iorwerth continued Plaid Cymru's co-operation agreement with Welsh Labour.[1] As part of the agreement, he appointed members of the Plaid Cymru Group in the Senedd to serve as "designated members" who spoke on issues included in the agreement and co-ordinated with the First Minister and members of their government to implement its agreed policies.[6][7][8] Under ap Iorwerth, Siân Gwenllian was the group's lead designated member while Cefin Campbell served simply as a designated member.[5] In May 2024, ap Iorwerth terminated the co-operation agreement with Labour over concerns around the activities of First Minister Vaughan Gething and his government, who was found to have accepted a £200,000 donation from a company owned by a former convict for his Welsh Labour leadership campaign in March 2024 and sacked Hannah Blythyn from his government in May after she was accused of leaking private government text messages to the media.[9][10][11]
The termination of Plaid's co-operation agreement with Labour left it with an effective minority in the Senedd and introduced the risk of a motion of no confidence in Gething's premiership.[10][12] Later in May, the Welsh Conservatives tabled a non-biding motion of no confidence in Gething as first minister which was backed by Plaid Cymru and Welsh Liberal Democrat MS Jane Dodds.[13][11] The motion was voted on in the Senedd on 5 June which Gething lost by two votes after two Labour MSs abstained.[14] Following the confidence vote, ap Iorwerth reshuffled his frontbench team to prepare for the next Senedd election, which must be held no later than 7 May 2026.[15][16] He appointed himself as Plaid's new constitution and international affairs spokesperson. Other changes included the addition of transport to Peredur Owen Griffiths' portfolio in place of his previous responsibility for finance, which was given to Heledd Fychan in place of her education brief, which was given to Cefin Campbell.[16][17] Siân Gwenllian became the new spokesperson for housing and planning and Sioned Williams' portfolio was reorganised into responsibility for social justice and early years. Adam Price also became Plaid Cymru's member of the Senedd Commission.[15][17]
Members
editJune 2023–June 2024
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June 2024–present
editSee also
editNotes and references
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c "Rhun ap Iorwerth announces make up of Plaid Cymru's new Senedd team". Nation.Cymru. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Plaid leader unveils new Senedd team". The Pembrokeshire Herald. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ Gurner, Richard (29 June 2023). "Delyth Jewell becomes deputy leader of Plaid Cymru's Senedd group". Caerphilly Observer. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Heledd Fychan appointed as Plaid Cymru Spokesperson for Education, Welsh Language, and Culture". Plaid Cymru. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "Who we are: Senedd". Plaid Cymru. 27 June 2023. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023.
- ^ Williams, Rhys (7 August 2023). "Publicly-owned renewable energy company launched by Welsh Government". Caerphilly Observer. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ Masters, Adrian (16 March 2022). "What is the Labour and Plaid Cymru co-operation agreement? And what does it mean for Wales?". ITV News. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Labour backbenchers' concern over deal with Plaid Cymru". BBC News. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ Benn, Dan (20 May 2024). "Another cooperation agreement ends". Public Sector Executive. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ a b Cheung, Iolo; Aitken, Catriona (17 May 2024). "Pressure piles on Wales' FM as Plaid ends deal". BBC News. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ a b Thompson, George; Hughes, David (5 June 2024). "Why is the First Minister of Wales facing a no-confidence vote?". The Irish News. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Plaid Cymru pulls out of Co-operation Agreement with the Welsh Government". Nation.Cymru. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ Lewis, Gareth; Browne, Adrian (28 May 2024). "Gething to face no confidence vote next week". BBC News. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ Evans, Tomos (5 June 2024). "Vaughan Gething: Wales's first minister loses confidence vote". Sky News. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Rhun ap Iorwerth reshuffles shadow cabinet in preparation for next Senedd election". Nation.Cymru. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ a b Williams, Rhys (7 June 2024). "Plaid Cymru leader announces top team reshuffle". Caerphilly Observer. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Who we are: Senedd". Plaid Cymru. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.