2012 Plaid Cymru leadership election

Plaid Cymru leadership election

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3 January 2012 (2012-01-03) – 15 March 2012 (2012-03-15)

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Candidate	Leanne Wood	Elin Jones	Dafydd Elis-Thomas
First round	2,879	1,884	1,278
Percentage	47.7%	31.2%	21.1%
Second round	3,326	2,494	—
Percentage	57.1%	42.9%	—

Leader before election

Ieuan Wyn Jones

Elected Leader

Leanne Wood

The 2012 Plaid leadership election was held following the resignation of Ieuan Wyn Jones following the 2011 Assembly Elections. Following the election Jones originally stated that he would resign in the first half of the Assembly term.^[1] Nominations officially opened on 3 January 2012.

The leadership was fought by former Agriculture Minister Elin Jones, former party leader Dafydd Elis-Thomas and backbencher Leanne Wood.^[2] Simon Thomas declared his intention to run, but later withdrew in favour of Elin Jones.^[3]

The Guardian reported that 7,863 members were entitled to vote, which was an increase in membership of 23% over the preceding four-month period.^[4]

Leanne Wood was declared leader on 15 March 2012,^[5] taking over as leader the day after.

Results

Candidate	First round		Second round
Candidate	Votes	%	Transfers	Votes	%
Leanne Wood	2,879	47.7	447	3,326	57.1
Elin Jones	1,884	31.2	610	2,494	42.9
Dafydd Elis-Thomas	1,278	21.1
Total	6,041	100	1,057	5,820	100

Endorsements

Of the 11 Plaid Assembly Members, Elin Jones received the support of 6 (including herself), Leanne Wood won the backing of 3 (including herself) and Dafydd Elis-Thomas 1 (himself). Out going leader Ieuan Wyn Jones did not publicly back any candidate.

Elin Jones

AMs:

Jocelyn Davies^[6]
Rhodri Glyn Thomas^[7]
Alun Ffred Jones^[8]
Simon Thomas^[3]
Llyr Huws Gruffydd^[6]

MPs

Hywel Williams^[6]

Others

Dafydd Trystan^[6]
Dai Lloyd,^[6] former AM
Nerys Evans,^[6] former AM
Cynog Dafis, former AM and MP

Dafydd Elis-Thomas

Councillor Delme Bowen,
Dyfed Edwards, Leader of Gwynedd County Council^[9]
Chris Franks, former AM

Leanne Wood

AMs:

MPs:

Jonathan Edwards (Campaign Manager)^[5]

Others:

Adam Price,^[6] former MP

References

^ Ieuan Wyn Jones to stand down as Plaid Cymru leader BBC News, 13 May 2011
^ Plaid to name new leader from Lord Elis-Thomas, Elin Jones, and Leanne Wood BBC News, 15 March 2011
^ ^a ^b Simon Thomas withdraws from Plaid Cymru leadership race and backs Elin Jones Wales Online, 6 February 2012
^ Plaid Cymru membership increases by 23% The Guardian, 27 January 2012
^ ^a ^b Plaid Cymru elect Leanne Wood as new leader BBC News, 15 March 2012
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Plaid Cymru leadership: Adam Price backs Leanne Wood BBC News, 9 January 2012
^ Plaid Cymru leadership: Rhodri Glyn Thomas backs Elin Jones BBC News, 20 February 2012
^ FFRED SUPPORTS ELIN JONES
^ Plaid leadership 2: Democratic instinct is a resource for hope IWA, 23 February 2012

Plaid Cymru

Leadership
Leaders	Ieuan Wyn Jones (2006–2012) Leanne Wood (2012–2018) Adam Price (2018–2023) Llyr Gruffydd (acting, 2023) Rhun ap Iorwerth (2023–present)
Senedd Group Leaders party leader since 2006	Dafydd Wigley (1999–2000) Ieuan Wyn Jones (2000–2012) Leanne Wood (2012–2018) Adam Price (2018–2023) Llyr Gruffydd (acting, 2023) Rhun ap Iorwerth (2023–present)
Presidents party leader pre-2003 abolished 2013	Lewis Valentine (1925–1926) Saunders Lewis (1926–1939) John Edward Daniel (1939–1943) Abi Williams (1943–1945) Gwynfor Evans (1945–1981) Dafydd Wigley (1981–1984) Dafydd Elis-Thomas (1984–1991) Dafydd Wigley (1991–2000) Ieuan Wyn Jones (2000–2003) Dafydd Iwan (2003–2010) Jill Evans (2010–2013)
Vice-Presidents abolished 2013	Saunders Lewis (1925–1926) John Edward Daniel (1931–1939) Gwynfor Evans (1943–1945) Waldo Williams R. E. Holland W. R. P. George R. Tudur Jones (1957–1962) Wynne Samuel (1962–1964) Chris Rees (1964–1966) Edward Millward (1966–1968) Phil Williams (1968–1970) Robyn Léwis (1970–1976) Phil Williams (1976–1978) Dafydd Elis-Thomas (1979–1981) Phil Williams (1982–1984) Dafydd Iwan (1984–2003) Jill Evans (2003–2010) Chris Franks (2010–2013)
Chairs	Chris Rees (1966–1970) Phil Williams (1970–1976) Eurfyl ap Gwilym (1976–1980) Ieuan Wyn Jones (1980–1982) Dafydd Iwan (1982–1984) Syd Morgan (1984–1990) Ieuan Wyn Jones (1990–1992) John Dixon (1992–1994) Jill Evans (1994–1996) Marc Phillips (1996–2000) Elin Jones (2000–2002) John Dixon (2002–2010) Gwenllian Lansdown (2010–2011) Rhuanedd Richards (2011–2012) Helen Mary Jones (2012–2013) Dafydd Trystan Davies (2013–2018) Alun Ffred Jones (2018–present)
Honorary Presidents	Gwynfor Evans (1982–2005) Dafydd Wigley (2005–present)
Leadership elections	1945 1981 1984 1991 2000 2003 2012 2018 2023

Parliamentarians

European Parliament (MEPs)

Eurig Wyn (1999–2004)
Jill Evans (1999–2020)

Senedd (MSs)
Welsh Assembly (AMs)

Former	Rhys ab Owen Mohammad Asghar Cynog Dafis Geraint Davies Jocelyn Davies Dafydd Elis-Thomas Nerys Evans Chris Franks Brian Hancock Pauline Jarman Alun Jones Gareth Jones Helen Mary Jones Steffan Lewis David Lloyd Neil McEvoy Janet Ryder Bethan Sayed Owen Thomas Rhodri Thomas Simon Thomas Lindsay Whittle Dafydd Wigley Phil Williams Leanne Wood Ieuan Wyn Jones
Current	Mabon ap Gwynfor Cefin Campbell Luke Fletcher Heledd Fychan Peredur Owen Griffiths Llyr Gruffydd Siân Gwenllian Delyth Jewell Elin Jones Rhun ap Iorwerth Adam Price Sioned Williams

British Parliament

House of Commons (MPs)

Former	Cynog Dafis (1992–2000) Jonathan Edwards (2010–2020, 2022) Dafydd Elis-Thomas (1974–1992) Gwynfor Evans (1966–1970, 1974–1979) Ieuan Wyn Jones (1987–2001) Elfyn Llwyd (1992–2015) Adam Price (2001–2010) Simon Thomas (2000–2005) Dafydd Wigley (1974–2001)
Current	Ben Lake Liz Saville Roberts Hywel Williams

House of Lords (Peers)

Organisation

History

Founders

Byddin Ymreolwyr Cymru (Welsh Home Rule Army)	Moses Gruffydd Huw Robert Jones Lewis Valentine
Y Mudiad Cymreig (Welsh Movement)	Fred Jones Saunders Lewis
Others	Ambrose Bebb David James Davies D. J. Williams