The new leader of Plaid Cymru is expected to be Rhun ap Iorwerth, despite strong calls within the party for a woman to appointed after its misogyny scandal.
Ap Iorwerth, who represents Ynys Môn (Anglesey) and is a former journalist, was a deputy leader until Adam Price stepped down as head of the party last month and is also Plaid’s spokesperson on health.
When he announced his intention to stand for leader, he said the pro-independence party was at a crossroads and faced serious challenges over its culture.
Price, heralded as a “once-in-a-generation” leader, resigned last month after a report found a culture of sexual harassment, bullying and misogyny and made 82 recommendations of ways to “detoxify” the party.
This week, Price’s predecessor as leader, Leanne Wood, said the next leader should be a woman, who she said would be better placed than a man to understand misogyny.
But on Friday two of ap Iorwerth’s potential rivals, Sioned Williams and Siân Gwenllian, said that though they agreed with Wood, they would not be standing and would campaign for a new leadership model to help ensure equality.
In a joint statement, they said: “We agree with comments made by former leader Leanne Wood in an interview this week that a woman would have been the best choice to lead Plaid Cymru at this time.
“We will campaign to introduce a new model of joint leadership in the future which would be more inclusive and ensure equality. Last night a motion was unanimously passed by the Arfon Plaid Cymru constituency, calling on Plaid Cymru to explore creating a new co-leadership model for the future.
“Our hope is that it will be discussed at the Plaid Cymru conference in the autumn. We however fully respect the outcome of the current process and support the new leader of the party when he is confirmed.”
Unless one of the Senedd members changes their minds and stands, ap Iorwerth will become leader of Plaid on Friday 16 June.
Ap Iorwerth was born in south Wales, brought up on Ynys Môn and educated at Ysgol David Hughes on the island and at Cardiff University, where he graduated with a degree in politics and Welsh. He is married and has three children.
In a video published on Twitter to announce he was standing, ap Iorwerth said Wales was on a “journey to independence”, adding: “Now is the time to unite Plaid Cymru so we can lead the work of building a new future for Wales.”
• The image in this article was replaced on 9 June 2023. An earlier image, captioned as being of Rhun ap Iorwerth, was actually of Adam Price.
