THE family of the only Welshman to become Prime Minister say if the Llanystumdwy museum honouring him was to close the county would lose “a valuable national historical attraction”.

Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet has deferred closing the Lloyd George Museum as part of their cost-cutting measures until 2017.

The recommendation to carry on funding the museum for another year will be discussed at a full council meeting on 3 March in Caernarfon.

Lloyd George’s great nephew and president of the Friends of the Lloyd George Museum, Philip George, is urging councillors to support the recommendation made by the Cabinet.

He said: “Lloyd George was the first Prime Minister from a working class background and the only one ever to be able to speak Welsh.

“He is considered to be a unique leader and an inspired social reformer and the museum is a keeper of historical records and artefacts."

“If the museum was to close, the area and the county would lose a valuable national historical attraction and an educational res­ource for the community.”

Mr George has written a letter to councillors to urge them to support the recommendation to continue to run the museum until April 2017.

Lloyd George’s great niece and trustee of the Friends of the Lloyd George Museum, Elizabeth George, said: “We are very keen to meet with Gwynedd Council and other interested parties to find a way forward to keep the museum open particularly as we are approaching the centenary of Lloyd George’s premiership, an event that will att­ract national and international interest and attention.”

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