Ron Davies
Encyclopedia
Ronald Davies is a Welsh
politician
, former Secretary of State for Wales
, former Member of Parliament
and former member of the Welsh Assembly. He describes himself as a politician belonging to the "traditional left" who had "spent his life looking for a socialist progressive party" before joining Plaid Cymru
in 2010.
He is credited with being the 'architect of devolution
' in Wales and led the campaign to create the National Assembly for Wales
. He became the first Cabinet Minister to resign from Tony Blair
's Cabinet
, in 1998.
In 2004 he resigned from the Labour Party
and joined Forward Wales, for which he has unsuccessfully stood as a candidate. In the 2008 local elections
he was elected to Caerphilly County Borough Council
, as an independent councillor for the Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen ward. He has since joined Plaid Cymru
.
in the Rhymney Valley
in Monmouthshire
, he was educated in Bassaleg Grammar School before graduating in Geography at what was then known as Portsmouth Polytechnic (now the University of Portsmouth
).
Davies was first elected as a Councillor in 1969 to the former Machen Urban District Council at the age of 23. A year later he became the youngest council leader in Britain at the age of 24. After local government re-organisation in 1974 he continued as leader of the newly-constituted Rhymney Valley District Council and led a campaign for a Fair Rents Act against plans by the Conservative Government of Edward Heath
to increase the amount of rent paid by Council house tenants.
After training to be a teacher at Cardiff University
he spent two years as a school teacher before becoming a Tutor-Organiser for the Workers' Educational Association
, succeeding Neil Kinnock
in 1970 when the future Labour leader was elected to Parliament. He went on to become Further Education Adviser for the Mid-Glamorgan Education Authority from 1974 until 1983, when he was elected to Parliament as the Labour MP for Caerphilly
.
, Ron Davies was appointed an Opposition Whip
in 1985, where his subject areas included agriculture and the environment. In 1987 he was appointed to the opposition frontbench as a spokesman on Agriculture and Rural Affairs responsible for reviewing the Labour Party's policies on animal welfare.
He was appointed Chief Opposition spokesman for agriculture in July 1992 and did much to highlight the growing threat from BSE
. In October 1992 he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
by John Smith
.
As the Labour Party's chief spokesman for Wales from 1992 to 1997, Ron Davies developed the party's devolution policy. He negotiated support for a sixty-member Welsh Assembly to take over the functions of the Secretary of State for Wales and elected by an element of proportionality
. His personal preference for a body with stronger powers was defeated internally.
In May 1997 Ron Davies was appointed by Tony Blair
to the Privy Council
and the Cabinet
as Secretary of State for Wales. One of his first acts was to return the £150,000 to the Aberfan disaster fund that a previous Labour Government had taken to restore the site of the landslide that had devastated the valley's community in 1966, although controversially this was without interest being paid. As over thirty years had passed, the money was worth a fraction of its original value.
In July 1997, he published the Government's detailed devolution proposals in the White Paper
"A Voice for Wales" and led the Labour Party's successful campaign for a 'yes' vote in the devolution referendum
on 18 September 1997. Though Labour reversed the 4 to 1 majority against devolution recorded in the 1979 referendum
, the slender majority of 0.6% and poor turnout (resulting in only 1 in 4 voters in Wales actually voting for the Assembly) cast a shadow over the institution's authority.
He steered the Government of Wales Bill through Parliament
, and on 31 July 1998, he saw the Government of Wales Act
reach the statute book, putting in place the legislation to set up the first ever National Assembly for Wales
.
He has been credited with being "the architect of devolution", and was appointed to the highest order of the Gorsedd
of the Bards at the 1998 National Eisteddfod in Bridgend
, earning the bardic name "Ron o Fachen" (Ron from Machen
)
to become Labour's candidate for First Secretary of the Assembly at a special Welsh Labour Party conference in Newport
. Just over a month later on 29 October 1998, he resigned this post - two days after resigning as Secretary of State for Wales on 27 October 1998. He stood down citing "an error of judgment" in agreeing to go for a meal with a man he had met while walking on Clapham Common
in London, a well-known gay
meeting place. He was mugged at knifepoint. The full details of the incident (which he infamously called a "moment of madness" at the urging of Tony Blair's Press Secretary
Alastair Campbell
) have never emerged. He later acknowledged that he had been bisexual for some time, and was receiving treatment for a personality disorder which led him to seek out risky situations. He stood down from Parliament at the 2001 general election
.
refused to appoint him to his Cabinet. Further revelations and disagreements with the Labour leadership resulted in his resignation from the Chairmanship of the committee. He stood down from Parliament at the 2001 general election
.
He is known for the phrase "Devolution is a process and not an event", by which he meant that the settlement he introduced in 1997 would not be the final one, and more powers would accrue to the Welsh Assembly over time. He wrote a pamphlet for the think tank
the Institute of Welsh Affairs
with the same title in 1998.
Shortly before the 2003 assembly elections
, The Sun
revealed that Davies had been visiting a well-known cruising
spot near a motorway lay-by. When challenged as to what he had been doing there, Davies initially denied being there, then told reporters that he had been going for a short walk, adding: "I have actually been there when I have been watching badgers.". Davies was forced to stand down as Labour candidate in the election. This incident was later referred to in the BBC satire Absolute Power.
He resigned from the Labour Party in 2004, citing opposition to the Iraq War, the party's stance on university funding and worries about the competence of the Wales Labour Party
. He has since joined the new Forward Wales political party, and stood for election to the European Parliament
in June 2004 as a candidate of that party, but failed to be elected. He then stood unsuccessfully in the 2007 assembly elections as an independent for Caerphilly, placing third behind Labour and Plaid Cymru
.
His Forward Wales Party disbanded in January 2010, paving the way for him to stand as a Plaid Cymru candidate.
Davies then started actively supporting the Plaid Cymru
administration in Caerphilly
. Following his attendance at the Plaid Cymru conference in 2009, and his appearance at a Plaid Cymru rally in Aberystwyth
during the 2010 General Election Campaign, he joined the party in 2010 and stood unsuccessfully as the party's candidate in Caerphilly in the 2011 Assembly elections
.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-13313735
|-
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, former Secretary of State for Wales
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
, former Member of 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,...
and former member of the Welsh Assembly. He describes himself as a politician belonging to the "traditional left" who had "spent his life looking for a socialist progressive party" before joining 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...
in 2010.
He is credited with being the 'architect of devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
' in Wales and led the campaign to create 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...
. He became the first Cabinet Minister to resign from Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
's Cabinet
Blair Ministry
Tony Blair was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for three successive parliamentary terms from 1997-2007. His Cabinet was reshuffled for each new parliament as well as changed during the three periods.-Formation:...
, in 1998.
In 2004 he resigned from the Labour Party
Wales Labour Party
Welsh Labour is the part of the United Kingdom Labour Party that operates in Wales. Labour is the largest and most successful political party in modern Welsh politics, having won the largest share of the vote at every UK General Election since 1922, every Welsh Assembly election since 1999, and...
and joined Forward Wales, for which he has unsuccessfully stood as a candidate. In the 2008 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....
he was elected to Caerphilly County Borough Council
Caerphilly County Borough Council
Caerphilly County Borough Council is the governing body for Caerphilly , one of the Principal Areas of Wales.- Current composition :- Historic results :-Electoral divisions:...
, as an independent councillor for the Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen ward. He has since joined 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...
.
Biography
Born in MachenMachen
Machen is a large village 3 miles east of Caerphilly, south Wales, situated in the Caerphilly borough within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It neighbours Bedwas and Trethomas, and forms a council ward in conjunction with those communities. It lies on the Rhymney River.-Mynydd...
in the Rhymney Valley
Rhymney Valley
The Rhymney Valley is a valley encompassing the villages of Abertysswg, Fochriw, Pontlottyn, Tirphil, New Tredegar, Aberbargoed, Rhymney, and Ystrad Mynach, and the towns of Bargoed and Caerphilly, in south-east Wales, formerly famous for its coal mining and iron industries.-Geography:Created as a...
in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, he was educated in Bassaleg Grammar School before graduating in Geography at what was then known as Portsmouth Polytechnic (now the University of Portsmouth
University of Portsmouth
The University of Portsmouth is a university in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The University was ranked 60th out of 122 in The Sunday Times University Guide...
).
Davies was first elected as a Councillor in 1969 to the former Machen Urban District Council at the age of 23. A year later he became the youngest council leader in Britain at the age of 24. After local government re-organisation in 1974 he continued as leader of the newly-constituted Rhymney Valley District Council and led a campaign for a Fair Rents Act against plans by the Conservative Government of Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
to increase the amount of rent paid by Council house tenants.
After training to be a teacher at Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
he spent two years as a school teacher before becoming a Tutor-Organiser for the Workers' Educational Association
Workers' Educational Association
The Workers’ Educational Association seeks to provide access to education and lifelong learning for adults from all backgrounds, and in particular those who have previously missed out on education. The International Federation of Workers Education Associations has consultative status to UNESCO...
, succeeding Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
in 1970 when the future Labour leader was elected to Parliament. He went on to become Further Education Adviser for the Mid-Glamorgan Education Authority from 1974 until 1983, when he was elected to Parliament as the Labour MP for Caerphilly
Caerphilly (UK Parliament constituency)
Caerphilly is a county constituency centred on the town of Caerphilly in South Wales. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.The constituency has always elected Labour MPs.- Boundaries...
.
UK Parliament
After two years as a backbench MPBackbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
, Ron Davies was appointed an Opposition Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
in 1985, where his subject areas included agriculture and the environment. In 1987 he was appointed to the opposition frontbench as a spokesman on Agriculture and Rural Affairs responsible for reviewing the Labour Party's policies on animal welfare.
He was appointed Chief Opposition spokesman for agriculture in July 1992 and did much to highlight the growing threat from BSE
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
. In October 1992 he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
by John Smith
John Smith (UK politician)
John Smith was a British Labour Party politician who served as Leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden death from a heart attack in May 1994...
.
As the Labour Party's chief spokesman for Wales from 1992 to 1997, Ron Davies developed the party's devolution policy. He negotiated support for a sixty-member Welsh Assembly to take over the functions of the Secretary of State for Wales and elected by an element of proportionality
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
. His personal preference for a body with stronger powers was defeated internally.
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
and the Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
as Secretary of State for Wales. One of his first acts was to return the £150,000 to the Aberfan disaster fund that a previous Labour Government had taken to restore the site of the landslide that had devastated the valley's community in 1966, although controversially this was without interest being paid. As over thirty years had passed, the money was worth a fraction of its original value.
In July 1997, he published the Government's detailed devolution proposals in the White Paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
"A Voice for Wales" and led the Labour Party's successful campaign for a 'yes' vote in the devolution referendum
Wales referendum, 1997
The 1979 referendum had been such a resounding defeat that it killed off any prospects of devolution for Wales for a generation. Although the Welsh Liberal Party and Plaid Cymru became committed to a Welsh parliament by 1983 it was not until 1992 that a Welsh Assembly with executive powers was put...
on 18 September 1997. Though Labour reversed the 4 to 1 majority against devolution recorded in the 1979 referendum
Wales referendum, 1979
In a referendum on St David's Day 1979, the people of Wales voted against proposals by the Labour government of the United Kingdom to establish a Welsh Assembly....
, the slender majority of 0.6% and poor turnout (resulting in only 1 in 4 voters in Wales actually voting for the Assembly) cast a shadow over the institution's authority.
He steered the Government of Wales Bill through 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...
, and on 31 July 1998, he saw the Government of Wales Act
Government of Wales Act 1998
This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998 This is about the Act that set up the Welsh Assembly. For the newer Government of Wales Act 2006, see that article.The Government of Wales Act 1998...
reach the statute book, putting in place the legislation to set up the first ever 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...
.
He has been credited with being "the architect of devolution", and was appointed to the highest order of the Gorsedd
Gorsedd
A gorsedd plural gorseddau, is a community or coming together of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is occasionally spelled gorsedh , or goursez in Brittany....
of the Bards at the 1998 National Eisteddfod in Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
, earning the bardic name "Ron o Fachen" (Ron from Machen
Machen
Machen is a large village 3 miles east of Caerphilly, south Wales, situated in the Caerphilly borough within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It neighbours Bedwas and Trethomas, and forms a council ward in conjunction with those communities. It lies on the Rhymney River.-Mynydd...
)
"Moment of Madness" and after
On 19 September 1998, he defeated 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...
to become Labour's candidate for First Secretary of the Assembly at a special Welsh Labour Party conference in Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
. Just over a month later on 29 October 1998, he resigned this post - two days after resigning as Secretary of State for Wales on 27 October 1998. He stood down citing "an error of judgment" in agreeing to go for a meal with a man he had met while walking on Clapham Common
Clapham Common
Clapham Common is an 89 hectare triangular area of grassland situated in south London, England. It was historically common land for the parishes of Battersea and Clapham, but was converted to parkland under the terms of the Metropolitan Commons Act 1878.43 hectares of the common are within the...
in London, a well-known gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
meeting place. He was mugged at knifepoint. The full details of the incident (which he infamously called a "moment of madness" at the urging of Tony Blair's Press Secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
Alastair Campbell
Alastair Campbell
Alastair John Campbell is a British journalist, broadcaster, political aide and author, best known for his work as Director of Communications and Strategy for Prime Minister Tony Blair between 1997 and 2003, having first started working for Blair in 1994...
) have never emerged. He later acknowledged that he had been bisexual for some time, and was receiving treatment for a personality disorder which led him to seek out risky situations. He stood down from Parliament at the 2001 general election
United 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...
.
National Assembly for Wales
On 30 January 1999, Ron Davies was selected as Labour's prospective candidate for the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales. He was elected on 6 May 1999 as Assembly Member for the Caerphilly Constituency, and initially chaired the Economic Development Committee after Alun MichaelAlun Michael
Alun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of...
refused to appoint him to his Cabinet. Further revelations and disagreements with the Labour leadership resulted in his resignation from the Chairmanship of the committee. He stood down from Parliament at the 2001 general election
United 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...
.
He is known for the phrase "Devolution is a process and not an event", by which he meant that the settlement he introduced in 1997 would not be the final one, and more powers would accrue to the Welsh Assembly over time. He wrote a pamphlet for the think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
the Institute of Welsh Affairs
Institute of Welsh Affairs
The Institute of Welsh Affairs is an independent, membership-based think-tank based in the capital of Wales, Cardiff, owing no allegiance to any political or economic interest group...
with the same title in 1998.
Shortly before the 2003 assembly elections
Welsh Assembly election, 2003
The National Assembly for Wales election, 2003 was the second general election to the National Assembly for Wales. It was held on 1 May 2003.The election was characterised by a resurgence for the Labour Party, whilst Plaid Cymru saw a reduction in support and the number of Assembly Members they...
, The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
revealed that Davies had been visiting a well-known cruising
Cruising for sex
Cruising for sex, or cruising is the act of walking or driving about a locality in search of a sex partner, usually of the anonymous, casual, one-time variety...
spot near a motorway lay-by. When challenged as to what he had been doing there, Davies initially denied being there, then told reporters that he had been going for a short walk, adding: "I have actually been there when I have been watching badgers.". Davies was forced to stand down as Labour candidate in the election. This incident was later referred to in the BBC satire Absolute Power.
He resigned from the Labour Party in 2004, citing opposition to the Iraq War, the party's stance on university funding and worries about the competence of the Wales Labour Party
Wales Labour Party
Welsh Labour is the part of the United Kingdom Labour Party that operates in Wales. Labour is the largest and most successful political party in modern Welsh politics, having won the largest share of the vote at every UK General Election since 1922, every Welsh Assembly election since 1999, and...
. He has since joined the new Forward Wales political party, and stood for election to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in June 2004 as a candidate of that party, but failed to be elected. He then stood unsuccessfully in the 2007 assembly elections as an independent for Caerphilly, placing third behind Labour and 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...
.
His Forward Wales Party disbanded in January 2010, paving the way for him to stand as a Plaid Cymru candidate.
Davies then started actively supporting 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...
administration in Caerphilly
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...
. Following his attendance at the Plaid Cymru conference in 2009, and his appearance at a Plaid Cymru rally in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
during the 2010 General Election Campaign, he joined the party in 2010 and stood unsuccessfully as the party's candidate in Caerphilly in the 2011 Assembly elections
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...
.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-13313735
Caerphilly County Borough Council
Davies was elected as an independent councillor for Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen in May 2008 and is currently the Cabinet Member for Regeneration.Offices held
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