Llais Gwynedd
Encyclopedia
or Voice of Gwynedd is a small regionalist
political party
based in Gwynedd
in North Wales
. The party formed following the Plaid Cymru
executive's proposal to more than halve the number of primary schools in Gwynedd by closing rural schools, many of the members being former members of Plaid. The campaign was initially known as , or "People's Voice", but the name was changed due to there being another party by that name in Blaenau Gwent
.
in the 2008 UK Local Elections
, ending overall control of the council that had previously been held by Plaid Cymru. Another seat won in Blaenau Ffestiniog
in June (the poll was postponed due to the death of the Labour candidate) resulted in 13 seats on Gwynedd Council. They declined to form a coalition with Plaid. They tried to gain the post of chair of the children and young persons committee, but Labour councillors voted with Plaid.
Gwilym Euros Roberts, a Llais Gwynedd councillor, was due to stand against the National Assembly of Wales presiding officer Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas
in 2011 in Dwyfor Meirionnydd
. However, in July 2010 Roberts was jailed for four-and-a-half years in Caernarfon Crown court for wounding his wife with intent; he stood down from his post that May. The party will also stand in Arfon
against Alun Ffred Jones
.
Llais Gwynedd held the seat in the by-election on 15 July 2010 for the Diffwys and Maenofferen ward. Their candidate Richard Owen Lloyd Jones won by 185 votes to 181 for Plaid.
In the National Assembly for Wales election, 2011
the party fielded Louise Hughes as their candidate in Dwyfor Meirionnydd
. She received 3,225 votes or 15.5% of the vote taking most of her support from the Plaid Cymru candidate.
Regionalism (politics)
Regionalism is a term used in international relations. Regionalism also constitutes one of the three constituents of the international commercial system...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
based in 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...
in North 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...
. The party formed following the 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...
executive's proposal to more than halve the number of primary schools in Gwynedd by closing rural schools, many of the members being former members of Plaid. The campaign was initially known as , or "People's Voice", but the name was changed due to there being another party by that name in Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group
The Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group was a political party based in the Blaenau Gwent area of Wales.The group was formed in the aftermath of the election to the House of Commons of Peter Law as an independent Member of Parliament, beating the official Labour candidate. Peter Law stood against the...
.
Electoral history
The party won twelve seats on Gwynedd CouncilGwynedd 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 :...
in the 2008 UK Local Elections
United Kingdom local elections, 2008
The 2008 United Kingdom local elections were held on 1 May 2008. These elections took place in 137 English Local Authorities and all Welsh Councils....
, ending overall control of the council that had previously been held by Plaid Cymru. Another seat won in Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon & Porthmadog. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to...
in June (the poll was postponed due to the death of the Labour candidate) resulted in 13 seats on Gwynedd Council. They declined to form a coalition with Plaid. They tried to gain the post of chair of the children and young persons committee, but Labour councillors voted with Plaid.
Gwilym Euros Roberts, a Llais Gwynedd councillor, was due to stand against the National Assembly of Wales presiding officer Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas
Dafydd Elis-Thomas
Dafydd Elis Elis-Thomas, Baron Elis-Thomas, PC, AM, is a Welsh politician and was the Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales until 2011...
in 2011 in Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Assembly constituency)
Dwyfor Meirionnydd is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales, created for the 2007 Assembly election. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...
. However, in July 2010 Roberts was jailed for four-and-a-half years in Caernarfon Crown court for wounding his wife with intent; he stood down from his post that May. The party will also stand in Arfon
Arfon (Assembly constituency)
Arfon is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales, created for the 2007 Assembly election. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...
against Alun Ffred Jones
Alun Ffred Jones
Alun Ffred Jones is a Welsh politician and member of Plaid Cymru. Jones was the National Assembly for Wales Member for Caernarfon 2003–07 and for the newly created Arfon constituency since the National Assembly for Wales election, 2007....
.
Llais Gwynedd held the seat in the by-election on 15 July 2010 for the Diffwys and Maenofferen ward. Their candidate Richard Owen Lloyd Jones won by 185 votes to 181 for Plaid.
In the National Assembly for Wales election, 2011
National 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...
the party fielded Louise Hughes as their candidate in Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Assembly constituency)
Dwyfor Meirionnydd is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales, created for the 2007 Assembly election. It elects one Assembly Member by the first past the post method of election...
. She received 3,225 votes or 15.5% of the vote taking most of her support from the Plaid Cymru candidate.
Policies
According to the party's online manifesto their key policies are:- Gwynedd has particular needs which were not being met by the Plaid Cymru governing council of Gwynedd
- Stop school closures
- Stop local people being sent for specialist care out of Gwynedd
- Opposes the North West Wales Spatial Development Strategy which focused most investment in Gwynedd to the Menai coastal strip
- Stop tourism which has a negative impact on "Gwynedd's unique social, linguistic and cultural fabric"
- Create local employment to stop young people leaving Gwynedd to look for work elsewhere
- In favour of removing restrictions on housing developments to allow local people to build on their own land
- Enthusiastically supports the Welsh languageWelsh languageWelsh 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...
- Proposes extra measures to protect Welsh-speaking rural communities in Gwynedd