Huw Thomas (Welsh politician)

Huw Thomas is a Welsh Labour politician and leader of Cardiff Council since May 2017.[1]

Cllr
Huw Thomas
Leader of Cardiff Council
Assumed office
May 2017
Preceded byPhil Bale
Personal details
Born1985
Aberystwyth
Political partyWelsh Labour
Alma materOxford University, Aberystwyth University

Childhood and education

Huw Thomas was born in Aberystwyth in 1985 and attended local schools before studying Music at Oxford University and a Masters in International Relations at Aberystwyth University

After graduating he worked in the third sector in Cardiff, including for Sustrans and as Head of Christian Aid Wales.[2]

Political career

Cardiff Council Executive (2012-2014)

Thomas was elected to represent the Splott ward on Cardiff Council in 2012 he was immediately appointed as Executive Member for Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure & Sport in the new Labour administration which following Labour's victory before moving to become the Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care in July 2013.

Thomas left his post in March 2014 following the appointment of new Council leader Phil Bale.[3]

Ceredigion 2015 Campaign

In December 2013 Thomas was selected as the Welsh Labour candidate to contest Ceredigion in the 2015 General Election where he finished fifth with 9.7% of the vote.[4]

During the election his was highly critical of his Plaid Cymru rival Mike Parker over Parker's remarks made in 2001 about English people coming to live in Wales which he described as parts of Wales of being inhabited by "gun-toting Final Solution crackpots" and likened English incomers [to Mid Wales] as Nazis. Thomas said: "There should be no place in our politics or our society for such divisive and hateful language."[5]

It emerged during the campaign that as a student he had suggested to friends in Wales via an online forum that cars flying the English Flag during the 2006 World Cup could be vandalised with tippex whilst simultaneously suggesting that those who flew them were a "simpleton" or a "casual racist". Thomas apologised for the remarks in 2015 when they were published by the BBC.[6]

Leader of Cardiff Council (2017 to present)

Thomas was re-elected as a Councillor in 2017 and quickly announced he planned to challenge the then leader of Cardiff Council Phil Bale for the leadership - a challenge he duly won.[7][8]

As leader he proposed a Cardiff style 'Crossrail' scheme,[9] and faced criticism for suggesting a Congestion Charge for Cardiff.[10]

References
  1. Ruth Mosalski (8 May 2017). "Cardiff Labour group picks Huw Thomas as its new leader". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  2. Thomas, Huw. "Huw Thomas". LinkedIn. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  3. Saunders, Alison (25 March 2013). "Russell Goodway out of Cardiff Council's cabinet as new leader stamps his authority". WalesOnline. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  4. "Ceredigion parliamentary constituency - Election 2015" – via bbc.co.uk.
  5. "Election 2015: Plaid Cymru candidate in Nazi slur row". BBC News. 8 April 2015 – via bbc.co.uk.
  6. "Election 2015: Candidate suggested cars be damaged". BBC News. 10 April 2015 – via bbc.co.uk.
  7. Mosalski, Ruth (9 May 2017). "Bale ousted as city leader". South Wales Echo. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  8. Mosalski, Ruth (16 May 2017). "These are the people who have been put in charge of running Cardiff's cabinet – and former leader Russell Goodway is back". WalesOnline. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  9. "South Wales Metro: Cardiff council proposes 'Crossrail' scheme". BBC News. 4 July 2019 – via bbc.co.uk.
  10. "Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas answers the key criticisms of the proposed congestion charge". 20 January 2020 – via walesonline.co.uk.
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