Mabon ap Gwynfor has been elected as the Senedd Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, picking up 11,490 votes.

Conservative candidate Charlie Evans came in second with 4,394 votes, then Labour’s Cian Ireland with 3702, Peter Read of Propel with 1,314, Glyn Daniels of Llais Gwynedd with 1,136, Stephen William Churchman of the Liberal Democrats with 916, Louise Hughes of Reform UK with 710 and Michelle Murray from Freedom Alliance picked up 152 votes.

The turnout for the constituency vote was 52.74 per cent, up six per cent from 2016 when 46.7 per cent of voters turned out.

Newly elected Mr ap Gwynfor spoke shortly after the results were announced to say he was honoured to be selected to represent the area.

He said: “It’s such a historic constituency and the people here are fantastic so being selected as their Senedd member is a huge honour.”

Mr ap Gwynfor spoke about his priorities now that he has been elected, as he added: “Priorities will be to bring investment into the area and communities which will in turn create jobs, quality jobs for the people of Dwyfor Meirionnydd.

“Short term, get to grips with the housing crisis. No one should be priced out of their own homes and we need to get some legislation in there to make sure there is affordable housing for people in their communities.”

His grandfather, Gwynfor Evans, was a key member of Plaid Cymru and the party’s first member of parliament.

Mabon recognised this, saying: “[Gwynfor] was such a big influence on me and on Plaid. We haven’t changed our principles at all since his time, it’s an honour and a pleasure to think about him.

“It’s a special day but it’s not my victory. It’s a victory for everyone who has supported the campaign, my family and those people who have fought over the years and have gone before me to make sure that Plaid Cymru continues to represent this area.”

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