Rhun ap Iorwerth comfortably holds island seat for Plaid Cymru

Rhun ap Iorwerth is on his way back to Cardiff Bay after Plaid Cymru comfortably held the Ynys Môn Senedd seat.

First elected in a 2013 by-election, the former broadcast journalist retained his seat with a majority of 9,817 votes over the Conservatives.

The Tories, who hold the seat at Westminster, saw Cardiff councillor Lyn Hudson poll at 5,689 with Sam Egelstaff, a Llanrwst-based teacher, nudged into third place on 5,300 votes for Welsh Labour.

Speaking after the result was declared at Llangefni’s Canolfan Plas Arthur on Friday afternoon, Mr ap Iorwerth said, “Its hugely humbling when the community you were brought up in gives you that sort of backing to represent them in our nation’s Parliament.
“I will repay the faith they have shown in me by continuing to work as hard as I always have strived to do since being elected nearly eight years ago.

“I’m a firm believer in positive campaigning, I didn’t talk about the other parties and what they were doing, I wanted to have a conversation with the people of Anglesey.

“The Facebook Live sessions I’ve been doing every Monday night came up on every street almost, people saying they appreciated having access to their elected member, and we felt that was likely to lead to strong support and it did.

“That is how I will continue to try and represent them, its our island.”

In 2016 he had the biggest majority in the Senedd, 9,510, but kept the seat Plaid has held in Cardiff Bay since 1999 on another comfortable and slightly increased majority.

On if Plaid will look at use their bolstered majority as a launchpad to try and gain the Westminster seat, he added, “I want us to be able to say that Ynys Môn has a representative that really understands the aspirations and fears of our communities here, and put that into the context of our ambitions for Wales as well.”

Ynys Môn result in full:
Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) 15,506
Sam Egelstaff (Welsh Labour) 5,300
Lyn Hudson (Welsh Conservatives) 5,689
Emmett Jenner (Reform UK) 692
Chris Jones (Liberal Democrat) 547

By Gareth Williams – Local Democracy Reporter