Ieuan Wyn Jones
Encyclopedia
Ieuan Wyn Jones, AM (born 22 May 1949) is a Welsh
politician
, who was the Deputy First Minister
in the Welsh Assembly Government from 2007 until 2011. Jones is the current leader of Plaid Cymru
and Member of the National Assembly for Wales
for the Ynys Môn constituency. On 13 May 2011 Jones announced he would be stepping down from his post as party leader, expected during the first half of the Assembly term 2011 to 2016. He was Member of the UK parliament
for Ynys Môn constituency
from 1987 to 2001. In 2007, Jones was named Wales' "Politician of the Year" by the BBC Wales
am.pm programme.
, Wales
, and is a Welsh
speaker. He has lived in both north and south Wales. Jones's early education was at Pontardawe Grammar School and at Ysgol y Berwyn in Bala, Gwynedd
. Jones's brother Rhisiart said "The time we spent living in Garnswllt
(between Ammanford, in Carmarthenshire
, and Pontarddulais
, in Swansea
) was a very happy time for us as a family," adding "Many people think that Ieuan is just a 'gog' but parts of south Wales are very close to his heart."
In England
Jones studied law at Liverpool Polytechnic
where he met Dafydd Ellis Thomas; and later studied at the University of London
. Rhisiart Jones said his brother loves to travel and that after college Ieuan "organised a 'rite of passage
' trip across Europe in his Hillman Imp
."
He is married to Eirian Jones and has three children. Jones's hobbies include studying local history, walking, and sports. Jones, a minister's son, is an elder
in his local chapel and occasionally preaches. Before entering public service in 1987, Jones was a practising solicitor
. Jones became a Member of the Eisteddfod’s Gorsedd in 2001.
of the Welsh Assembly, said of Jones "[he] was a very good organizer with "huge tenacity'". According to Lord Elis-Thomas, Jones assiduously "talks to each (Plaid Cymru assembly) group member individually and "will ensure the government achieves what it says it will."
Jones's approach is described as "somewhat quieter, more understated," as compared to Rhodri Morgan
. Conservative leader Nick Bourne
describes Jones as "somebody who's trustworthy, somebody who's reliable," and "a safe pair of hands... a good leader for his party".
Jones is generally seen as a pragmatist, steering a middle course between his party's (predominately southern) socialists and the language-inspired activists of the party's Anglesey
and Gwynedd
heartland. Speaking about moderation at the British-Irish Council
at Stormont
on 16 July 2007, Jones said "We in Wales have also seen a coming together of parties with different traditions, on the basis of a shared programme for government, and a shared commitment to improve the lives of all our people in all parts of Wales.."
and Welsh Assembly Member. He was Plaid Cymru party chairman between 1980–1982 and 1990–1992.
for the Ynys Môn constituency
. He continued to represent Ynys Môn until 2001, when he stood down to concentrate on the Welsh Assembly. While a Member of Parliament
, he piloted a private members bill to assist the hard of hearing in 1989 and was a member of the Welsh Affairs and Agriculture Select Committees. He was the joint chair of All-Party Older Persons Group and appointed a trustee of the Industry and Parliament Trust, a body promoting better understanding between parliamentarians and industrialists. He won an award as Politician of the Year by the Federation of Small Businesses.
Jones has been a governor of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy
, a body that assists in the development of democratic institutions in many parts of the world.
and Llanelli and achieving by far their highest share of the vote in any Wales-wide election, winning 17 of 60 seats in the Assembly. Plaid Cymru saw themselves as the natural beneficiary of devolution.
to spend more time in the Assembly. In the summer, he was elected President of Plaid Cymru with 77% of the vote over Helen Mary Jones
.
Jones reshuffled the party leadership with Jocelyn Davies
as Business Manager; Elin Jones
as Chief Whip and Agriculture & Rural Development spokeswoman; Phil Williams as Economic Development spokesman; and Helen Mary Jones
as Environment, Transport and Planning and Equal Opportunities spokeswoman. Jones described his cabinet as "strong... capable of taking on Labour in the Assembly as well as making a vital contribution in promoting a positive policy agenda."
councillor Seimon Glyn voiced concern over "English immigrants" moving into traditionally Welsh-speaking communities. Though some Plaid Cymru colleagues said he had been taken out of context, Jones issued "strict instructions to Plaid Cymru party members that if they chose to speak on the same emotive issue in future, they should take care that their words were not misconstrued." Plaid Cymru refocused the argument back to one of locals being priced out of the housing market, as nearly a third of all properties in Gwynedd are bought by out-of-county parties. Jones's centrist policies may have been helped further by the formation of Welsh language pressure group Cymuned
and the Independent Wales Party.
Plaid Cymru party conference of 2002, Jones called for greater Assembly authority "[on-parity] with Scotland's parliament," and "opposed any military conflict in Iraq, saying it would destabilise the Middle East." Jones also criticised health and public services policies and would end the "endless revamping of structures and administration".
"[Plaid Cymru] has been doing its homework", wrote BBC Wales
political reporter Simon Morris, and is "determined to produce a credible programme of public service reform".
and leader of the assembly group. He admits this was a particularly difficult period.
But within three months he stood again for the position of assembly leader, having received both grassroots support from "all over Wales" and senior party members. The party was undergoing a reorganization and dividing its Cardiff Bay
and Westminster
responsibilities. This party constitutional change prompted new party elections. Jones was re-elected as Assembly group leader he had been the party’s Business Manager in the Assembly since May). In addition, when leader of the opposition he was also a member of the Assembly’s European and External Affairs Committee and North Wales Regional Committee. Of early 2003 Jones said "it has been a remarkable journey for me personally and something that I have great pride in, in a sense, that I have been able to lead the party through a very difficult period.
In 2006, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Wales, Bangor. That summer Jones hiked through Wales on a "Wales Wide" tour from Ynys Mon to Swansea
, where he attended the National Eisteddfod. Jones said his conversations with the people he met along the way helped create a manifesto better geared to the real needs of people.
In February 2006, Plaid Cymru undertook changes to its party structure, including designating the leader of the party in the Assembly as its overall leader, with Jones taking the post once more. Additionally, the unveiling of a radical change of image, opting to use "Plaid" as the party's name, although "Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales" would remain the official title. The party's colours were changed to yellow from the traditional green and red, while the party logo was changed from the 'triban' (three peaks) used since 1933 to a yellow Welsh poppy (Meconopsis cambrica).
of 3 May 2007. In the elections, Plaid Cymru increased its share of the vote to 22% and its number of seats from 12 to 15, regaining Llanelli, gaining one additional list seat and winning the newly created constituency of Aberconwy The 2007 election also saw Plaid Cymru's Mohammad Asghar
become the first ethnic minority candidate elected to the Welsh Assembly, though on 9 December 2009 he left and joined the Conservatives.
with the Conservative
and Liberal Democrat
parties failed when the Liberal Democrat leadership backed-out of coalition talks. This "Rainbow Coalition" would have formed the first ever PC-led government. With the reappointment of Welsh Labour's Rhodri Morgan
as First Minister, the Liberal Democrat general party membership demanded that their leadership restart negotiations with Plaid and the Conservative parties. However, by now Jones had entered into coalition talks with Labour in attempts to form a stable government with Plaid's AMs approving a deal
with the Labour Party on 27 June 2007. Labour's special party conference on 6 July 2007 approved the coalition; Plaid Cymru's conference the next day sealed the arrangement.
During the coalition negotiations, Jones pressed for the full law-making powers for the Assembly, similar to the Scottish Parliament
. A referendum on the issue was promised "as soon as practicable, at or before the end of the assembly term (in 2011)," with Welsh Labour committed to campaign for a "yes" vote. Other points Jones fought for included a first-time buyer's credit, a reconfiguration of the Welsh National Health Care service, and a 3% annual reduction in carbon emissions by 2011 in areas of devolved competence. The result of the negotiations was the One Wales
agreement.
Of Plaid Cymru's entering into government for the first time, Jones said, "The party's role so far has been one of the opposition party which put pressure on the other parties to move things forward for the benefit of Wales," and "From today we will be sharing the responsibility of directly operating on behalf of the people of Wales. I am looking forward to the challenge."
was hospitalised days after the parties entered into coalition. Lord Elis-Thomas said of the situation, "I think [Jones] will be a very stable influence around the cabinet table in the difficult situation both parties are in now with the first minister's illness." The next day, Ieuan Wyn Jones, with the Queen, represented Wales in Belgium
at the 90th anniversary ceremony of the Third Battle of Ypres at Passchendaele (World War I
). During the battle, celebrated Welsh poet Hedd Wyn
died along with thousands of other Welshmen.
Jones also represented Wales at the British-Irish Council
held in Stormont on 16 July, where he said holding the council in the Stormont Parliament for the first time was "a historic occasion and, "The restoration of devolution was achieved as a result of the coming together, in a spirit of service to all the people of Northern Ireland, of two very distinct political traditions."
On 19 July 2007 it was announced that Jones would also be Minister for the Economy and Transport
.
of 5 May 2011. Plaid Cymru lost 4 seats and, with 11 seats, became the third largest party in the Assembly; behind Labour (30 seats) and the Conservatives (14). Jones announced on the 13 May 2011, the day he ceased being Deputy First Minister, that he would resign as leader of Plaid Cymru within the first half of the Assembly term.
.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
politician
Politics of Wales
Politics in Wales forms a distinctive polity in the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with Wales as one of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom....
, who was the Deputy First Minister
Deputy First Minister for Wales
The Deputy First Minister for Wales can be the deputy leader of the Welsh Government, the devolved administration for Wales. The post was created October 2000 when Mike German of the Welsh Liberal Democrats was appointed Deputy First Minister as part of a coalition government with Welsh Labour...
in the Welsh Assembly Government from 2007 until 2011. Jones is the current leader of Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
and Member of the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
for the Ynys Môn constituency. On 13 May 2011 Jones announced he would be stepping down from his post as party leader, expected during the first half of the Assembly term 2011 to 2016. He was Member of the UK parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Ynys Môn constituency
Ynys Môn (UK Parliament constituency)
Ynys Môn is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
from 1987 to 2001. In 2007, Jones was named Wales' "Politician of the Year" by the BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
am.pm programme.
Family, education, and early career
Ieuan Wyn Jones was born in DenbighDenbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and is a Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
speaker. He has lived in both north and south Wales. Jones's early education was at Pontardawe Grammar School and at Ysgol y Berwyn in Bala, Gwynedd
Bala, Gwynedd
Bala is a market town and community in Gwynedd, Wales, and formerly an urban district of the historic county of Merionethshire. It lies at the north end of Bala Lake , 17 miles north-east of Dolgellau, with a population of 1,980...
. Jones's brother Rhisiart said "The time we spent living in Garnswllt
Garnswllt
Garnswllt is a rural village in Swansea, Wales falling within the Mawr ward. It lies in the far north of Swansea near the border with Carmarthenshire....
(between Ammanford, in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, and Pontarddulais
Pontarddulais
Pontarddulais is a community and town in the City and County of Swansea, Wales. It is situated north west of Swansea city centre. It falls within the Pontarddulais ward.-Overview:...
, in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
) was a very happy time for us as a family," adding "Many people think that Ieuan is just a 'gog' but parts of south Wales are very close to his heart."
In England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Jones studied law at Liverpool Polytechnic
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
where he met Dafydd Ellis Thomas; and later studied at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Rhisiart Jones said his brother loves to travel and that after college Ieuan "organised a 'rite of passage
Rite of passage
A rite of passage is a ritual event that marks a person's progress from one status to another. It is a universal phenomenon which can show anthropologists what social hierarchies, values and beliefs are important in specific cultures....
' trip across Europe in his Hillman Imp
Hillman Imp
The Hillman Imp is a compact, rear-engined saloon car that was manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group from 1963 to 1976...
."
He is married to Eirian Jones and has three children. Jones's hobbies include studying local history, walking, and sports. Jones, a minister's son, is an elder
Elder (Christianity)
An elder in Christianity is a person valued for his wisdom who accordingly holds a particular position of responsibility in a Christian group. In some Christian traditions an elder is a clergy person who usually serves a local church or churches and who has been ordained to a ministry of Word,...
in his local chapel and occasionally preaches. Before entering public service in 1987, Jones was a practising solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. Jones became a Member of the Eisteddfod’s Gorsedd in 2001.
Personal style
Ieuan Wyn Jones is known as a keen negotiator and a "man of integrity, one who is reliable and 'a good listener'". Lord Ellis-Thomas, presiding officerPresiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales
The Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales is the Speaker of the National Assembly for Wales, elected by the Members of the National Assembly for Wales to chair their meetings ; to maintain order; and to protect the rights of Members.He or she also heads the Corporate Body of the...
of the Welsh Assembly, said of Jones "[he] was a very good organizer with "huge tenacity'". According to Lord Elis-Thomas, Jones assiduously "talks to each (Plaid Cymru assembly) group member individually and "will ensure the government achieves what it says it will."
Jones's approach is described as "somewhat quieter, more understated," as compared to Rhodri Morgan
Rhodri Morgan
Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
. Conservative leader Nick Bourne
Nick Bourne
Nicholas Henry Bourne is a Welsh Conservative politician. He served as the Leader of the Welsh Conservative Party and as a member of the National Assembly for Wales for the Mid and West Wales electoral region from August 1999 until May 2011...
describes Jones as "somebody who's trustworthy, somebody who's reliable," and "a safe pair of hands... a good leader for his party".
Jones is generally seen as a pragmatist, steering a middle course between his party's (predominately southern) socialists and the language-inspired activists of the party's Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
and Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
heartland. Speaking about moderation at the British-Irish Council
British-Irish Council
The British–Irish Council is an international organisation established under the Belfast Agreement in 1998, and formally established on 2 December 1999 on the entry into force of the consequent legislation...
at Stormont
Parliament Buildings (Northern Ireland)
The Parliament Buildings, known as Stormont because of its location in the Stormont area of Belfast is the seat of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive...
on 16 July 2007, Jones said "We in Wales have also seen a coming together of parties with different traditions, on the basis of a shared programme for government, and a shared commitment to improve the lives of all our people in all parts of Wales.."
Public service
Jones's main political interest is health and education policy. Jones has held a number of positions both in Plaid Cymru and as an UK Member of ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and Welsh Assembly Member. He was Plaid Cymru party chairman between 1980–1982 and 1990–1992.
UK Parliament 1987–2001
Jones campaigned for public office for the first time and won in the 1987 UK general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
for the Ynys Môn constituency
Ynys Môn (UK Parliament constituency)
Ynys Môn is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. He continued to represent Ynys Môn until 2001, when he stood down to concentrate on the Welsh Assembly. While a Member of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, he piloted a private members bill to assist the hard of hearing in 1989 and was a member of the Welsh Affairs and Agriculture Select Committees. He was the joint chair of All-Party Older Persons Group and appointed a trustee of the Industry and Parliament Trust, a body promoting better understanding between parliamentarians and industrialists. He won an award as Politician of the Year by the Federation of Small Businesses.
Jones has been a governor of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy
Westminster Foundation for Democracy
The Westminster Foundation for Democracy is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body set up to promote democratic institutions overseas. It was established in March 1992 and registered as a company limited by guarantee. It receives funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the...
, a body that assists in the development of democratic institutions in many parts of the world.
First Welsh Assembly 1999–2003
Jones was the campaign director during Plaid Cymru's first elections to the Welsh Assembly in 1999. The elections were seen as a breakthrough by the party, gaining seats in solid Labour areas such as in the Rhondda, IslwynIslwyn (National Assembly for Wales constituency)
Islwyn is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election. Also, however, it is one of eight constituencies in the South Wales East electoral region, which elects four additional members, in addition to eight...
and Llanelli and achieving by far their highest share of the vote in any Wales-wide election, winning 17 of 60 seats in the Assembly. Plaid Cymru saw themselves as the natural beneficiary of devolution.
Elected party president
In 1999, Jones became the Assembly's first Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee chairman, a post he continued in until February 2000. Jones stood down at the 2001 electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
to spend more time in the Assembly. In the summer, he was elected President of Plaid Cymru with 77% of the vote over Helen Mary Jones
Helen Mary Jones
Helen Mary Jones is a Plaid Cymru politician, who was a member of the National Assembly for Wales from 1999 to 2011.-Background:...
.
Jones reshuffled the party leadership with Jocelyn Davies
Jocelyn Davies
Jocelyn Davies is a Plaid Cymru politician and a member of the National Assembly of Wales, list member for South Wales East since 1999. She was Deputy Minister for Housing and Regeneration...
as Business Manager; Elin Jones
Elin Jones
Elin Jones AM , is a Welsh politician, born in Lampeter, Wales, who has represented Ceredigion for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the National Assembly for Wales since 1999.-Background:...
as Chief Whip and Agriculture & Rural Development spokeswoman; Phil Williams as Economic Development spokesman; and Helen Mary Jones
Helen Mary Jones
Helen Mary Jones is a Plaid Cymru politician, who was a member of the National Assembly for Wales from 1999 to 2011.-Background:...
as Environment, Transport and Planning and Equal Opportunities spokeswoman. Jones described his cabinet as "strong... capable of taking on Labour in the Assembly as well as making a vital contribution in promoting a positive policy agenda."
Language Controversy
Controversy erupted in mid-winter 2001 when GwyneddGwynedd Council
Gwynedd Council is the governing body for the principal area of Gwynedd, one of the subdivisions of Wales within the United Kingdom.- Creation of the Authority :...
councillor Seimon Glyn voiced concern over "English immigrants" moving into traditionally Welsh-speaking communities. Though some Plaid Cymru colleagues said he had been taken out of context, Jones issued "strict instructions to Plaid Cymru party members that if they chose to speak on the same emotive issue in future, they should take care that their words were not misconstrued." Plaid Cymru refocused the argument back to one of locals being priced out of the housing market, as nearly a third of all properties in Gwynedd are bought by out-of-county parties. Jones's centrist policies may have been helped further by the formation of Welsh language pressure group Cymuned
Cymuned
Cymuned is a Welsh communities pressure group. Established in 2001, the group campaigns on behalf of local communities in Wales, particularly Welsh-speaking and rural ones, which it perceives to be under threat due to demographic change.Cymuned has campaigned on issues of housing, incomers, and...
and the Independent Wales Party.
Llandudno party conference
At the LlandudnoLlandudno
Llandudno is a seaside resort and town in Conwy County Borough, Wales. In the 2001 UK census it had a population of 20,090 including that of Penrhyn Bay and Penrhynside, which are within the Llandudno Community...
Plaid Cymru party conference of 2002, Jones called for greater Assembly authority "[on-parity] with Scotland's parliament," and "opposed any military conflict in Iraq, saying it would destabilise the Middle East." Jones also criticised health and public services policies and would end the "endless revamping of structures and administration".
"[Plaid Cymru] has been doing its homework", wrote BBC Wales
BBC Wales
BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the British Broadcasting Corporation for Wales. Based at Broadcasting House in the Llandaff area of Cardiff, it directly employs over 1200 people, and produces a broad range of television, radio and online services in both the Welsh and English languages.Outside...
political reporter Simon Morris, and is "determined to produce a credible programme of public service reform".
Second Welsh Assembly 2003–2007
However, in the May Assembly election of 2003, Plaid Cymru lost five seats, and within a week there were accusations of a plot headed by Assembly Member Helen Mary Jones and four other Plaid Cymru Assembly Members manoeuvering for Jones's removal. But Helen Mary Jones denied involvement. However, Jones resigned as both party presidentPlaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
and leader of the assembly group. He admits this was a particularly difficult period.
But within three months he stood again for the position of assembly leader, having received both grassroots support from "all over Wales" and senior party members. The party was undergoing a reorganization and dividing its Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
and Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
responsibilities. This party constitutional change prompted new party elections. Jones was re-elected as Assembly group leader he had been the party’s Business Manager in the Assembly since May). In addition, when leader of the opposition he was also a member of the Assembly’s European and External Affairs Committee and North Wales Regional Committee. Of early 2003 Jones said "it has been a remarkable journey for me personally and something that I have great pride in, in a sense, that I have been able to lead the party through a very difficult period.
In 2006, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University of Wales, Bangor. That summer Jones hiked through Wales on a "Wales Wide" tour from Ynys Mon to Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, where he attended the National Eisteddfod. Jones said his conversations with the people he met along the way helped create a manifesto better geared to the real needs of people.
In February 2006, Plaid Cymru undertook changes to its party structure, including designating the leader of the party in the Assembly as its overall leader, with Jones taking the post once more. Additionally, the unveiling of a radical change of image, opting to use "Plaid" as the party's name, although "Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales" would remain the official title. The party's colours were changed to yellow from the traditional green and red, while the party logo was changed from the 'triban' (three peaks) used since 1933 to a yellow Welsh poppy (Meconopsis cambrica).
Third Welsh Assembly 2007–2011
Jones led Plaid Cymru through the Welsh Assembly electionNational Assembly for Wales election, 2007
The 2007 National Assembly election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the National Assembly for Wales. It was the third general election. On the same day local elections in England and Scotland, and the Scottish Parliament election took place...
of 3 May 2007. In the elections, Plaid Cymru increased its share of the vote to 22% and its number of seats from 12 to 15, regaining Llanelli, gaining one additional list seat and winning the newly created constituency of Aberconwy The 2007 election also saw Plaid Cymru's Mohammad Asghar
Mohammad Asghar
Mohammad Asghar , known as Oscar, is an Asian politician, who has been a member of the Conservative party, the Labour party, and Plaid Cymru. He came to prominence after being elected to the Welsh Assembly in 2007 as a member of Plaid Cymru on the list for South Wales East...
become the first ethnic minority candidate elected to the Welsh Assembly, though on 9 December 2009 he left and joined the Conservatives.
Forming a government
Jones's initial attempts to form a three-party coalitionCoalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
with the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
parties failed when the Liberal Democrat leadership backed-out of coalition talks. This "Rainbow Coalition" would have formed the first ever PC-led government. With the reappointment of Welsh Labour's Rhodri Morgan
Rhodri Morgan
Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
as First Minister, the Liberal Democrat general party membership demanded that their leadership restart negotiations with Plaid and the Conservative parties. However, by now Jones had entered into coalition talks with Labour in attempts to form a stable government with Plaid's AMs approving a deal
One Wales
One Wales is 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 Plaid Cymru, on 27 June 2007. It was negotiated in the wake of the preceding...
with the Labour Party on 27 June 2007. Labour's special party conference on 6 July 2007 approved the coalition; Plaid Cymru's conference the next day sealed the arrangement.
During the coalition negotiations, Jones pressed for the full law-making powers for the Assembly, similar to the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
. A referendum on the issue was promised "as soon as practicable, at or before the end of the assembly term (in 2011)," with Welsh Labour committed to campaign for a "yes" vote. Other points Jones fought for included a first-time buyer's credit, a reconfiguration of the Welsh National Health Care service, and a 3% annual reduction in carbon emissions by 2011 in areas of devolved competence. The result of the negotiations was the One Wales
One Wales
One Wales is 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 Plaid Cymru, on 27 June 2007. It was negotiated in the wake of the preceding...
agreement.
Of Plaid Cymru's entering into government for the first time, Jones said, "The party's role so far has been one of the opposition party which put pressure on the other parties to move things forward for the benefit of Wales," and "From today we will be sharing the responsibility of directly operating on behalf of the people of Wales. I am looking forward to the challenge."
Deputy First Minister of Wales
Ieuan Wyn Jones became Deputy First Minister of Wales on 11 July 2007. First Minister and Labour leader Rhodri MorganRhodri Morgan
Hywel Rhodri Morgan is a Welsh Labour politician who, as First Secretary for Wales, and subsequently First Minister, was leader of the Welsh Assembly Government from 2000 to 2009. A former leader of Welsh Labour, he was the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011...
was hospitalised days after the parties entered into coalition. Lord Elis-Thomas said of the situation, "I think [Jones] will be a very stable influence around the cabinet table in the difficult situation both parties are in now with the first minister's illness." The next day, Ieuan Wyn Jones, with the Queen, represented Wales in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
at the 90th anniversary ceremony of the Third Battle of Ypres at Passchendaele (World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
). During the battle, celebrated Welsh poet Hedd Wyn
Hedd Wyn
Hedd Wyn was a Welsh language poet who was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. He was posthumously awarded the bard's chair at the 1917 National Eisteddfod...
died along with thousands of other Welshmen.
Jones also represented Wales at the British-Irish Council
British-Irish Council
The British–Irish Council is an international organisation established under the Belfast Agreement in 1998, and formally established on 2 December 1999 on the entry into force of the consequent legislation...
held in Stormont on 16 July, where he said holding the council in the Stormont Parliament for the first time was "a historic occasion and, "The restoration of devolution was achieved as a result of the coming together, in a spirit of service to all the people of Northern Ireland, of two very distinct political traditions."
On 19 July 2007 it was announced that Jones would also be Minister for the Economy and Transport
Minister for the Economy and Transport
The Minister for the Economy and Transport was a member of the Cabinet in the Welsh Assembly Government. The Minister had responsibility for the Department for the Economy and Transport, which combined two devolved functions of the Welsh Government: Business and Economy, and Transport...
.
Fourth Welsh Assembly 2011-present
Ieuan Wyn Jones led Plaid into the Welsh Assembly electionNational Assembly for Wales election, 2011
The National Assembly for Wales election 2011 was the most recent election for the National Assembly. The poll was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 and decided the incumbency for all the assembly's seats...
of 5 May 2011. Plaid Cymru lost 4 seats and, with 11 seats, became the third largest party in the Assembly; behind Labour (30 seats) and the Conservatives (14). Jones announced on the 13 May 2011, the day he ceased being Deputy First Minister, that he would resign as leader of Plaid Cymru within the first half of the Assembly term.
Books
Jones has published two books, 'Europe: the Challenge for Wales' in 1996 and in 1998 'Y Llinyn Arian', a biography of the Welsh nineteenth century publisher, Thomas GeeThomas Gee
Thomas Gee , was a Welsh Nonconformist preacher, journalist and publisher.Gee was born at Denbigh. At the age of fourteen he went into his father's printing office, but continued to attend the grammar school in the afternoons.In 1837 he went to London to improve his knowledge of printing, and on...
.
Membership
- International Film And Television Research Center
- International Film And Television Club Of Asian Academy Of Film & TelevisionAsian Academy of Film & TelevisionThe Asian Academy of Film & Television is a film school located in India's Noida Film City in India's Capital region, NCR. It is affiliated with the International Film & Television Research Center and the Marwah Films & Video Studios....