Delyth Jewell

Delyth Jewell
MS
Official portrait, 2026
Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health
Incumbent
Assumed office
13 May 2026
First MinisterRhun ap Iorwerth
Preceded byDawn Bowden
Member of the Senedd
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 May 2026
ConstituencyBlaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni
Majority29,314 (42%)
In office
8 February 2019 – 8 April 2026
Preceded bySteffan Lewis
Succeeded byConstituency dissolved
ConstituencySouth Wales East
Personal details
BornDelyth Non Jewell
1987 or 1988 (age 38–39)
Caerphilly, Wales
PartyPlaid Cymru
EducationYsgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni
University of Oxford (BA, M.St.)
Occupation
Signature

Delyth Non Jewell (born 1987 or 1988) is a Welsh politician who has been serving as Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health, and as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni since May 2026, formerly representing South Wales East from 2019.

Born in Caerphilly and raised in Ystrad Mynach, Jewell studied at the University of Oxford, graduating with degrees in English and Celtic studies and serving as president of Dafydd ap Gwilym Society. She worked as a researcher and speechwriter for Plaid Cymru members of Parliament in the House of Commons, and later as a women's rights and international development campaigner for Citizens Advice.

Jewell unsuccessfully contested for the South Wales East electoral region in the 2016 National Assembly election. She was later sworn in as an assembly member in 2019, following the death of the elected Plaid candidate Steffan Lewis. Re-elected in the 2021 election, she held several positions on the Plaid frontbench team, including deputy party leader in the Senedd. Following Plaid Cymru's victory in the 2026 election, Jewell was appointed Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health in the ap Iorwerth government.

Early life and career

Delyth Non Jewell[1] was born in 1987 or 1988[2] at the Caerphilly District Miners Hospital in Caerphilly, Wales, and was raised in Ystrad Mynach.[3] She attended Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni and later studied at the University of Oxford, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English at St Hugh's College and a Master of Studies (M.St.) in Celtic studies at Jesus College.[4] She served as the president of the Dafydd ap Gwilym Society, the Welsh language society at the university, in 2007.[5]

Following graduation, Jewell worked as a researcher and speechwriter[3][4] for the Plaid Cymru members of Parliament in the House of Commons.[6] In 2014, she received the Dods Overall Parliamentary Researcher of the Year Award, recognizing her work focusing on stalking and domestic violence legislation.[3][4] Returning to Wales in 2015, she worked for Citizens Advice,[3][4] and later worked as a women's rights and international development campaigner at ActionAid.[7] In January 2019, Jewell published an article in The Independent on her research of abuse toward women politicians.[8]

Political career

In the 2016 National Assembly for Wales election, Jewell stood as a Plaid candidate for the South Wales East electoral region, and was not elected. She was placed second on Plaid's list of candidates for the constituency.[7]

Member of the Senedd (2019–present)

Official portrait as an assembly member, 2019

In January 2019, Jewell was confirmed as the successor of Steffan Lewis, Plaid Assembly Member (AM) for South Wales East, following his death from bowel cancer.[7] On 8 February, she was sworn into office.[6] In a 2020 reshuffle of the Plaid frontbench team ahead of the 2021 Senedd election, Jewell was appointed as spokesperson for public transformation and the future, and Local Government Association coordinator, by Plaid leader Adam Price.[9]

In the 2021 Senedd election, Jewell was re-elected, as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for South Wales East.[3] Following the election, she was re-appointed to the frontbench team as spokesperson for climate change, energy, and transport.[10] She served as the chair of the Senedd Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations.[11]

Following the election of Rhun ap Iorwerth as Plaid Cymru leader, Jewell was appointed deputy leader of Plaid Cymru in the Senedd on 27 June 2023.[12][13] In a June 2024 reshuffle of the frontbench team ahead of the 2026 Senedd election, the responsibility of energy and transport was transferred to Luke Fletcher and Peredur Owen Griffiths respectively.[14]

In the 2026 Senedd election, Jewell was elected as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for the six-member Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni constituency, with Plaid receiving 29,314 votes (42%). She was the party's lead candidate for the constituency.[15]

Deputy Minister (2026–present)

Jewell (second from the left) among the ap Iorwerth government on 13 May 2026

Following the 2026 election, Plaid Cymru became the largest party in the Senedd and Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth was nominated as First Minister of Wales, ending the Welsh Labour's uninterrupted tenure in Welsh Government since devolution in 1999.[16] On 13 May, Jewell was appointed by ap Iorwerth into the Plaid Cymru minority government as Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health.[17]

In August 2026, Jewell spoke at the 2026 Pembrokeshire National Eisteddfod and said a proposed national social care service for Wales would not be established until the next Senedd term.[18]

Electoral history

Election Seat Party Votes Percentage (%) Result Source
National Assembly for Wales, 2016 South Wales East Plaid Cymru N/A N/A Not elected [7]
Senedd, 2021 South Wales East Plaid Cymru N/A N/A Elected [3]
Senedd, 2026 Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni Plaid Cymru 36,136 41 Elected [15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Senedd Election 2026". Caerphilly County Borough Council. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Meet your new AM - Plaid Cymru's Delyth Jewell". South Wales Argus. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Senedd election 2021 result in the South Wales East region". WalesOnline. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "The Dragon Has Two Tongues: Celebrating Welsh Broadcasting Innovation | Digital Hub Oxford". digitalhuboxford.com. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Pewsey, Guy (12 October 2007). "UNited Kingdom? - Cherwell". Cherwell. Archived from the original on 17 April 2025. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Delyth Jewell sworn in as AM after Steffan Lewis death". BBC News. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "New AM Delyth Jewell following death of Steffan Lewis". BBC News. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  8. ↑ "'My research revealed the relentless, sickening abuse towards women politicians – it cannot be left unchecked'". The Independent. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Sinclair, Tom (3 February 2020). "Reshuffle and refresh for Plaid group". Herald.Wales. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Welsh election: New Plaid Cymru Senedd members get frontbench roles". BBC News. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "The Dragon Has Two Tongues: Celebrating Welsh Broadcasting Innovation | Digital Hub Oxford". digitalhuboxford.com. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  12. ↑ Mansfield, Mark (27 June 2023). "Rhun ap Iorwerth announces make up of Plaid Cymru's new Senedd team". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Gurner, Richard (29 June 2023). "Delyth Jewell becomes deputy leader of Plaid Cymru's Senedd group". Caerphilly Observer. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  14. ↑ Mansfield, Mark (6 June 2024). "Rhun ap Iorwerth reshuffles shadow cabinet in preparation for next Senedd election". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni - Welsh Parliament constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth reveals new Welsh government ministers". BBC News. 13 May 2026. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Plaid Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth reveals new Welsh government ministers". BBC News. 13 May 2026. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "No Wales national social care service before next Senedd election - minister". BBC News. 3 August 2026. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.