Rhodri Glyn Thomas
Encyclopedia
Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM (born 11 April 1953 in Wrexham
, Denbighshire
) is a Welsh
politician. He has been the Plaid Cymru
National Assembly for Wales
Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 1999.
, Wrexham before leaving for the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
in 1975 to study for a degree in Welsh
. After graduating in 1978, he studied for a BD
degree in Theology
at the University of Wales, Bangor and Bala-Bangor Theological Seminary
under R. Tudur Jones
. In 1991 he studied for a MTh
degree at the University of Wales, Lampeter
, reading American Theology although the final thesis he submitted was on the Union of Welsh Independents (Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg) role in the struggle to revive the Welsh Language in the 20th century.
constituency in the General Election
for Plaid Cymru - Party of Wales
. In the 1997 General Election
he stood for Plaid Cymru in Carmarthen East & Dinefwr
. In 1999 he fought the same constituency in the National Assembly
Elections, winning by 6,980 votes. He was reelected in 2007 with an increased majority of over 8,000 making it the Assembly's second safest seat. Plaid Cymru entered into a coalition government with Welsh Labour in July 2007, and Rhodri Glyn Thomas was appointed as Minister for Heritage (19 July 2007), which he resigned from in 2008, over a gaffe. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/07/18/heritage-minister-rhodri-glyn-thomas-quits-91466-21368223/
2008 Wales Book of the Year
ceremony when Thomas incorrectly announced that Tom Bullough was the winner. The prize was, in fact, awarded to Dannie Abse, Thomas having read the card wrongly.
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
) is a Welsh
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...
politician. He has been 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...
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...
Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 1999.
Education
Thomas attended Ysgol Bodhyfryd, Wrexham, and then Ysgol Morgan LlwydYsgol Morgan Llwyd
Ysgol Morgan Llwyd is a Welsh Medium school in Wrexham, north-east Wales. It is the first, and only Welsh Language Secondary school in Wrexham County Borough. It is named after the renowned seventeenth century Welsh author Morgan Llwyd. The school has been open at its present location, Cefn Road,...
, Wrexham before leaving for the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
in 1975 to study for a degree in 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...
. After graduating in 1978, he studied for a BD
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree in Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the University of Wales, Bangor and Bala-Bangor Theological Seminary
Bala-Bangor Theological Seminary
Bala-Bangor was a theological seminary belonging to the Welsh Independents , an association of Welsh congregationalists. It was founded in Bala, Gwynedd in 1842 under the principalship of Michael Jones , who was followed by his son Michael D. Jones .During Michael D...
under R. Tudur Jones
R. Tudur Jones
R. Tudur Jones was a Welsh Nationalist and a Protestant Christian. He was the most important Christian scholar in Wales during the 20th century and is hailed as the giant of Protestantism in Wales during a century that saw Wales, as a whole, turn against its traditional Reformed Protestant...
. In 1991 he studied for a MTh
Master of Theology
A Master of Theology is an advanced theological research degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries.-North America:In North America, the Master of Theology is considered by the Association of Theological Schools to be the minimum educational credential for teaching...
degree at the University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter
University of Wales, Lampeter is a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822 by royal charter, it is the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales and may be the third oldest in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge...
, reading American Theology although the final thesis he submitted was on the Union of Welsh Independents (Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg) role in the struggle to revive the Welsh Language in the 20th century.
Professional career
Thomas is a Minister of Religion, the director of a language consultancy, a former Chair of CND Cymru and Welsh spokesperson for the Forum of Private Business.Political career
In 1992, Thomas fought the old CarmarthenCarmarthen (UK Parliament constituency)
Carmarthen was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom between 1542 and 1997...
constituency in the General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
for Plaid Cymru - Party of Wales
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...
. In the 1997 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
he stood for Plaid Cymru in Carmarthen East & Dinefwr
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (UK Parliament constituency)
Carmathen East and Dinefwr 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. It was created in 1997 mostly from the former seat of Carmarthen...
. In 1999 he fought the same constituency in the National Assembly
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...
Elections, winning by 6,980 votes. He was reelected in 2007 with an increased majority of over 8,000 making it the Assembly's second safest seat. Plaid Cymru entered into a coalition government with Welsh Labour in July 2007, and Rhodri Glyn Thomas was appointed as Minister for Heritage (19 July 2007), which he resigned from in 2008, over a gaffe. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/07/18/heritage-minister-rhodri-glyn-thomas-quits-91466-21368223/
Wales Book Of The Year Controversy
There was controversy at the AcademiAcademi
Literature Wales Literature Wales Literature Wales (formerly the Academi is the Welsh national literature promotion agency and society of writers, existing to promote Welsh-language and English-language literature in Wales. Literature Wales publishes a literary magazine called Taliesin and a...
2008 Wales Book of the Year
Wales Book of the Year
The Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors...
ceremony when Thomas incorrectly announced that Tom Bullough was the winner. The prize was, in fact, awarded to Dannie Abse, Thomas having read the card wrongly.
Cigar Controversy
In July 2008 Thomas is reported to have walked into a Cardiff pub with a lit cigar, thus breaking the law. Following this he has resigned his job from the Welsh Cabinet.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7514458.stmExternal links
- Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM Website
- Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM Blog
- Plaid Cymru - the Party of Wales Website
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7514458.stm