Jonathan Edwards was first elected as the Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr in 2010, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 1,809.
Edwards was arrested for assault in May 2020 and received a police caution. He was suspended from Plaid Cymru for 12 months as a result. Although the 12 month suspension period ended, in July 2021 Mr Edwards continued to sit as an Independent at Westminster, rather than apply to rejoin the party.
The former Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, has called for Jonathan Edwards to be permanently excluded from the party. In July 2022, Plaid Cymru restored Mr Edwards membership to the party, but recommended that he didn’t sit as a Plaid Cymru MP at Westminster.
The large rural constituency of Carmarthen East and Dinefwr is found in the county of Dyfed and spreads upwards from the town of Carmarthen, to include the smaller towns of Ammanford and Llandovery. The seat has been held by Plaid Cymru since 2001, and was previously represented at Westminster by the Plaid Cymru leader, Adam Price. In 2019, the Liberal Democrats stood aside for Plaid Cymru in this constituency, as the Conservative Party jumped from third place to come within 1,800 votes of gaining the seat.
Jonathan Edwards was born in 1976 and raised in the mining village of Capel Hendre near Ammanford. He attended Ysgol Gymraeg Rhydaman and Ysgol Gyfun Maes yr Yrfa before graduating in History and Politics at the University of Wales Aberystwyth.
Prior to being elected to Westminster, Edwards worked as Chief of staff for Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM and then the Plaid Cymru MP, Adam Price, for 7 years. He previously worked in public affairs for Citizens Advice Cymru.
Edwards is a former Carmarthen Councillor and was elected to the historical post of town Sheriff.
Jonathan Edwards is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Transatlantic Trade; Dairy; Uplands and Hill Farming; Debt and Personal Finance; and Secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Rail in Wales.
Email: jonathan.edwards.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: www.jonathanedwards.org.uk
Twitter: @JonathanPlaid
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PlaidSirGar
