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Rhun ap Iorwerth
Rhun ap Iorwerth (born 27 August 1972) is a Welsh politician and former journalist who has served as First Minister of Wales since May 2026 and Leader of Plaid Cymru since 2023. He is the first officeholder to come from a party other than Welsh Labour, his appointment ending the party's uninterrupted tenure leading Welsh Government since devolution in 1997. He has served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for Bangor Conwy Môn since May 2026, and served as the MS for Ynys Môn from 2023 to 2026.
ap Iorwerth was born in Tonteg, Rhondda Cynon Taf on 27 August 1972 to Gwyneth and Edward Morus Jones, both teachers and Welsh language campaigners; his sister, Awen Iorwerth, is an orthopaedic surgeon. On his birth certificate, ap Iorwerth's surname was recorded as Jones, against the wishes of his parents to name him ap Iorwerth. The literal English meaning of his name is Rhun, son of Iorwerth. The name follows the Welsh patronymic naming system, which was common in Wales until anglicisation during the Tudor period.
ap Iorwerth grew up in Meirionnydd and, from the age of five, Anglesey. He attended Ysgol Gynradd Llandegfan, where his father was headteacher, and Ysgol David Hughes before going on to study politics and Welsh at Cardiff University. He has said that as a teenager, he briefly considered a career as a veterinarian and chose his A-levels accordingly, but later changed his mind and pursued a career in journalism. During his twenties, ap Iorwerth worked in a bar in Parma, Italy, alongside his future wife whilst she was a student at the University of Parma in the Erasmus Programme.
He has described music as a key part of his childhood; his father a composer. He set up a radio studio in his home and, at the age of 14, was a reporter on a children's news programme. He developed an interest in politics during the 1987 general election, during Ieuan Wyn Jones' campaign as a candidate for Ynys Môn.
In 1994, he began working as a political jounalist for BBC Cymru Wales, for some time in Westminster, returning to Wales following the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum. In 2001, he became the chief political correspondent at BBC Cymru Wales, a position he held for five years before moving to presenting roles. He presented several television and radio programmes, including S4C's Newyddion and Dragon's Eye.
In 2013, he stepped down from his role in the BBC to run as the Plaid Cymru candidate in the Ynys Môn by-election, which was triggered by the June resignation of Ieuan Wyn Jones. During the campaign, Welsh Labour sought to publicize his support of the construction of the Wylfa nuclear power station, in contradiction to Plaid Cymru's policy in opposition to nuclear power. A Plaid Cymru blogger faced disiplinary action within the party after attacking ap Iorwerth for his position on the power station's construction. During his candidacy, suggestions were made within Plaid Cymru that he could serve as a future party leader, to which he found "somehow amusing" considering his status as a newcomer.
On 1 August, he won the by-election with 12,601 votes and a vote share of 58.24%, a majority of 9,166 over Labour. The result was Plaid Cymru's fifth victory in a National Assembly election. On 2 August, he was sworn in as Assembly Member (AM) for Ynys Môn, and arrived at the Senedd building accompanied by his wife and three children, cheered by Plaid Cymru supporters. The result caused Labour to lose their status as the majority in the Senedd.
In January 2014, he was appointed as Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on Economy and Enterprise, which also included Transport. Ap Iorwerth held his seat in 2016. Shortly after those elections, he was appointed as Shadow Minister for Health, as Plaid Cymru had become the second largest party. In October 2016 this ceased to be a shadow cabinet role, as Plaid ceased to be the second largest party. He unsuccessfully ran for the leadership of Plaid Cymru in 2018, losing to Adam Price. He was later appointed as joint deputy leader, and as Plaid Spokesperson for Economy and Finance. He also took responsibility for the Plaid Health portfolio in February 2020. In May 2021, he was reshuffled to just the Health and Social Care portfolio.
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Rhun ap Iorwerth
Rhun ap Iorwerth (born 27 August 1972) is a Welsh politician and former journalist who has served as First Minister of Wales since May 2026 and Leader of Plaid Cymru since 2023. He is the first officeholder to come from a party other than Welsh Labour, his appointment ending the party's uninterrupted tenure leading Welsh Government since devolution in 1997. He has served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for Bangor Conwy Môn since May 2026, and served as the MS for Ynys Môn from 2023 to 2026.
ap Iorwerth was born in Tonteg, Rhondda Cynon Taf on 27 August 1972 to Gwyneth and Edward Morus Jones, both teachers and Welsh language campaigners; his sister, Awen Iorwerth, is an orthopaedic surgeon. On his birth certificate, ap Iorwerth's surname was recorded as Jones, against the wishes of his parents to name him ap Iorwerth. The literal English meaning of his name is Rhun, son of Iorwerth. The name follows the Welsh patronymic naming system, which was common in Wales until anglicisation during the Tudor period.
ap Iorwerth grew up in Meirionnydd and, from the age of five, Anglesey. He attended Ysgol Gynradd Llandegfan, where his father was headteacher, and Ysgol David Hughes before going on to study politics and Welsh at Cardiff University. He has said that as a teenager, he briefly considered a career as a veterinarian and chose his A-levels accordingly, but later changed his mind and pursued a career in journalism. During his twenties, ap Iorwerth worked in a bar in Parma, Italy, alongside his future wife whilst she was a student at the University of Parma in the Erasmus Programme.
He has described music as a key part of his childhood; his father a composer. He set up a radio studio in his home and, at the age of 14, was a reporter on a children's news programme. He developed an interest in politics during the 1987 general election, during Ieuan Wyn Jones' campaign as a candidate for Ynys Môn.
In 1994, he began working as a political jounalist for BBC Cymru Wales, for some time in Westminster, returning to Wales following the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum. In 2001, he became the chief political correspondent at BBC Cymru Wales, a position he held for five years before moving to presenting roles. He presented several television and radio programmes, including S4C's Newyddion and Dragon's Eye.
In 2013, he stepped down from his role in the BBC to run as the Plaid Cymru candidate in the Ynys Môn by-election, which was triggered by the June resignation of Ieuan Wyn Jones. During the campaign, Welsh Labour sought to publicize his support of the construction of the Wylfa nuclear power station, in contradiction to Plaid Cymru's policy in opposition to nuclear power. A Plaid Cymru blogger faced disiplinary action within the party after attacking ap Iorwerth for his position on the power station's construction. During his candidacy, suggestions were made within Plaid Cymru that he could serve as a future party leader, to which he found "somehow amusing" considering his status as a newcomer.
On 1 August, he won the by-election with 12,601 votes and a vote share of 58.24%, a majority of 9,166 over Labour. The result was Plaid Cymru's fifth victory in a National Assembly election. On 2 August, he was sworn in as Assembly Member (AM) for Ynys Môn, and arrived at the Senedd building accompanied by his wife and three children, cheered by Plaid Cymru supporters. The result caused Labour to lose their status as the majority in the Senedd.
In January 2014, he was appointed as Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on Economy and Enterprise, which also included Transport. Ap Iorwerth held his seat in 2016. Shortly after those elections, he was appointed as Shadow Minister for Health, as Plaid Cymru had become the second largest party. In October 2016 this ceased to be a shadow cabinet role, as Plaid ceased to be the second largest party. He unsuccessfully ran for the leadership of Plaid Cymru in 2018, losing to Adam Price. He was later appointed as joint deputy leader, and as Plaid Spokesperson for Economy and Finance. He also took responsibility for the Plaid Health portfolio in February 2020. In May 2021, he was reshuffled to just the Health and Social Care portfolio.
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