Simon Thomas
Encyclopedia
Simon Thomas is a Welsh
Plaid Cymru
politician. He was Member of Parliament
(MP) for Ceredigion
from 2000 to 2005, after winning the seat at a by-election in January 2000
caused by the resignation of Plaid Cymru MP Cynog Dafis
. In the 2011 Welsh Assembly election
he was elected as member for Mid and West Wales
.
Road in Trecynon
near Aberdare
. At the University of College Wales, Aberystwyth, he gained a BA
in Welsh
in 1985. He gained a Postgraduate diploma
from the College of Librarianship Wales (CLW) in Llanbadarn Fawr
, Aberystwyth
in 1988 (College became part of the university in 1989).
He was assistant curator for the National Library of Wales
from 1986-92. From 1992-4, he was Policy and Research Officer for the Taff-Ely
borough council. From 1994-2000, he was Rural Development Manager for the JIGSO rural development agency.
in the 2000 by-election
following the resignation of Cynog Dafis
. He retained the seat for Plaid Cymru at the 2001 election
with a reduced majority, and lost it in the 2005 general election
to Mark Williams
of the Liberal Democrats.|
During the 2005 general election
Simon Thomas wrote a blog http://www.channel4.com/simonthomas which shows a near daily account of his campaign trail and his thoughts following his defeat.
Simon Thomas lives in Aberystwyth
, and had been placed 4th by his party in the National Assembly elections in South Wales Central in 2007, giving him no realistic chance of being elected. However when the regional lists were published for the Assembly Elections in May 2007, Simon Thomas was notable by his absence in the South Wales Central regional list. The candidates nominated were: 1. Leanne Wood, 2. Chris Franks, 3. Gwenllian Lansdown and 4. Mohammed Sarul Islam.
Following that election, Simon Thomas was appointed a special adviser to the Plaid Cymru ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government coalition between his party and Labour.
The Assembly Election of 2011 may see his political comeback, following his successful nomination for the number 1 spot on the Plaid Cymru regional list for Mid and West Wales in the Welsh Assembly, formerly held by Nerys Evans
.
. They have a son and a daughter.
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...
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...
politician. He was 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,...
(MP) for Ceredigion
Ceredigion (UK Parliament constituency)
Ceredigion, formerly Cardiganshire, is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1536, the boundaries have remained remarkably unchanged for nearly five centuries...
from 2000 to 2005, after winning the seat at a by-election in January 2000
Ceredigion by-election, 2000
The Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Ceredigion, Cynog Dafis, was unexpectedly elected to the National Assembly for Wales in May 1999 and decided to give up his seat in the House of Commons in order to concentrate on his work in the Assembly...
caused by the resignation of Plaid Cymru MP Cynog Dafis
Cynog Dafis
Cynog Glyndwr Dafis is a Welsh politician and member of the Plaid Cymru party. He was a school teacher and researcher before entering politics.-Education:...
. In the 2011 Welsh Assembly election
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...
he was elected as member for Mid and West Wales
Mid and West Wales
Mid and West Wales is an unofficial subdivision of Wales that is sometimes used, consisting broadly of the preserved counties of Dyfed and Powys, sometimes Swansea and sometimes parts of Gwynedd....
.
Early life
He went to Aberdare Boys' Grammar School (became Aberdare Boys' Comprehensive School in 1978) on CwmdareCwmdare
Cwmdare is a village near Aberdare, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The village's history is intertwined with coal-mining, and since the decline of the industry in the 1980s, it has become primarily a commuter base for the larger surrounding towns of Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd, as...
Road in Trecynon
Trecynon
Trecynon is a village near Aberdare situated in the Cynon Valley, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.-Background and History:Trecynon is home to Hen Dy Cwrdd Chapel the oldest Nonconformist chapel in the Cynon Valley. Hen Dy Cwrdd Chapel was founded in 1751 and rebuilt in 1862...
near Aberdare
Aberdare
Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...
. At the University of College Wales, Aberystwyth, he gained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
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...
in 1985. He gained a Postgraduate diploma
Postgraduate diploma
A postgraduate diploma is a postgraduate qualification awarded typically after a bachelor's degree. It can be contrasted with a graduate diploma...
from the College of Librarianship Wales (CLW) in Llanbadarn Fawr
Llanbadarn Fawr
Llanbadarn Fawr is an urbanised village and community in Ceredigion, Wales. It is located on the outskirts of Aberystwyth situated next to Penparcau and Southgate. It forms the eastern part of the continually built-up area of Aberystwyth...
, 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....
in 1988 (College became part of the university in 1989).
He was assistant curator for the National Library of Wales
National Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
from 1986-92. From 1992-4, he was Policy and Research Officer for the Taff-Ely
Taff-Ely
Taff-Ely was a local government district in Wales from 1974 to 1996.It was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the urban district of Pontypridd, along with Llantrisant and Llantwit Farde Rural District, the Taff's Well ward of Caerphilly urban district, the...
borough council. From 1994-2000, he was Rural Development Manager for the JIGSO rural development agency.
Parliamentary career
Simon Thomas was first elected as MP for CeredigionCeredigion (UK Parliament constituency)
Ceredigion, formerly Cardiganshire, is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1536, the boundaries have remained remarkably unchanged for nearly five centuries...
in the 2000 by-election
Ceredigion by-election, 2000
The Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Ceredigion, Cynog Dafis, was unexpectedly elected to the National Assembly for Wales in May 1999 and decided to give up his seat in the House of Commons in order to concentrate on his work in the Assembly...
following the resignation of Cynog Dafis
Cynog Dafis
Cynog Glyndwr Dafis is a Welsh politician and member of the Plaid Cymru party. He was a school teacher and researcher before entering politics.-Education:...
. He retained the seat for Plaid Cymru at the 2001 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...
with a reduced majority, and lost it in the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
to Mark Williams
Mark Williams (politician)
Mark Fraser Williams is a British Welsh Liberal Democrat politician and the Member of Parliament for the Ceredigion constituency, a seat he gained from Plaid Cymru in 2005...
of the Liberal Democrats.|
During the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
Simon Thomas wrote a blog http://www.channel4.com/simonthomas which shows a near daily account of his campaign trail and his thoughts following his defeat.
Simon Thomas lives 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....
, and had been placed 4th by his party in the National Assembly elections in South Wales Central in 2007, giving him no realistic chance of being elected. However when the regional lists were published for the Assembly Elections in May 2007, Simon Thomas was notable by his absence in the South Wales Central regional list. The candidates nominated were: 1. Leanne Wood, 2. Chris Franks, 3. Gwenllian Lansdown and 4. Mohammed Sarul Islam.
Following that election, Simon Thomas was appointed a special adviser to the Plaid Cymru ministers in the Welsh Assembly Government coalition between his party and Labour.
The Assembly Election of 2011 may see his political comeback, following his successful nomination for the number 1 spot on the Plaid Cymru regional list for Mid and West Wales in the Welsh Assembly, formerly held by Nerys Evans
Nerys Evans
Nerys Evans is a Welsh politician. She was a member of the National Assembly for Wales representing Plaid Cymru in the Mid and West Wales region...
.
Personal life
He is married to Gwen, daughter of poet and academic Gareth Alban DaviesGareth Alban Davies
Gareth Alban Davies , was a Welsh poet, educator and Hispanist who spent the largest span of his academic career lecturing at the University of Leeds...
. They have a son and a daughter.
External links
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Simon Thomas
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Simon Thomas
- The Public Whip - Simon Thomas
- BBC News - Simon Thomas profile 10 February 2005
- Channel 4, 2005 Election Blog
- Ex-Plaid MP fails in Assembly comeback