Rhodri Glyn Thomas

April 11, 1953

Wrexham, Wales, United Kingdom

He has been the Plaid Cymru National Assembly for Wales Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 1999. Thomas is a Minister of Religion, the director of a language consultancy, a former Chair of Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Cymru and Welsh spokesperson for the Forum of Private Business. In 1992, Thomas fought the old Carmarthen 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. The prize was, in fact, awarded to Dannie Abse, Thomas having read the card wrongly. In July 2008 Thomas is reported to have walked into a Cardiff public with a lit cigar, thus breaking the law. Following this he has resigned his job from the Welsh Cabinet.

Rhodri Glyn Thomas

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politician

Background

Thomas was born in Wrexham, Denbighshire.

Education

Thomas was born in Wrexham, Denbighshire. He attended Ysgol Bodhyfryd, Wrexham, and then Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, 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 Bachelor's Degree degree in Theology at the University of Wales, Bangor and Bala-Bangor Theological Seminary under R. Tudur Jones.

In 1991 he studied for a Master of Theology 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.

Career

He has been the Plaid Cymru National Assembly for Wales Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 1999. Thomas is a Minister of Religion, the director of a language consultancy, a former Chair of Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Cymru and Welsh spokesperson for the Forum of Private Business. In 1992, Thomas fought the old Carmarthen 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. The prize was, in fact, awarded to Dannie Abse, Thomas having read the card wrongly.

In July 2008 Thomas is reported to have walked into a Cardiff public with a lit cigar, thus breaking the law.

Following this he has resigned his job from the Welsh Cabinet.

Achievements

There was controversy at the Academi 2008 Wales Book of the Year ceremony when Thomas incorrectly announced that Tom Bullough was the winner.

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