Who is Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth?

Rhun ap Iorwerth is the rugby-playing musician who wants to see Wales leave the UK.

The former BBC journalist has been leader of Plaid Cymru since last year.

Born in Tonteg in the South Wales valleys, the 51-year-old was brought up on Anglesey, an island off the North Wales coast.

He is a fluent Welsh speaker and, after spells living in Cardiff and London, has now returned to live on Anglesey with his wife and three children.

He says his mother had a “big influence” on his life, and particularly on his passion for politics.

Outside of politics, Mr ap Iorweth says he composes music and “attempts to play several instruments”.

He also spends his spare time running, or “out for an adventure” on his bike.

He plays for the Senedd‘s rugby team and has previously coached a junior team in Llangefni, an experience he says he “thoroughly enjoyed”.

A former pupil of Ysgol David Hughes, he went on to study Politics and Welsh at Cardiff University.

Other former pupils of the bilingual comprehensive school in Menai Bridge include Wales and Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, singer Aled Jones and actor Taron Egerton.

Former journalist

Before he entered politics, Mr ap Iorwerth had a career as a journalist.

He first joined BBC Wales in 1994 and presented a number of programmes for the broadcaster, including a period based in Westminster.

He returned to work in Wales after the 1997 referendum in which voters narrowly backed the creation of what was then known as the Welsh Assembly.

He was first elected as a member of the Welsh parliament at a by-election in 2013.

Mr ap Iorwerth had planned to quit the Senedd and stand in the upcoming general election as the Plaid candidate for Ynys Mon.

But he stood down as the party’s Westminster hopeful after he succeeded Adam Price as leader, following a damning report into allegations of a toxic culture within the party.

The Project Pawb report found the party “failed to implement a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment”.

The work of implementing its recommendations is ongoing and Mr ap Iorwerth has said he is “committed to learning lessons”.

Under Plaid Cymru rules, its leader has to be a member of the Senedd, not the House of Commons.

Independence

In devolved politics, Plaid Cymru has been part of a cooperation agreement with the Labour government for the last two-and-a-half years.

But Rhun ap Iorwerth announced last month that the party would end the deal with immediate effect.

He told Plaid members when elected leader that his vision for Wales was for a “stronger, fairer economy able to support sustainable public services”.

In his previous role as his party’s health spokesperson, he was very vocal on the issues facing Betsi Cadwaladr – Wales’s largest health board, which was placed back in special measures by the Welsh government last year.

Plaid Cymru is a party which supports independence for Wales, and its leader is no exception.

But Mr ap Iorwerth has said he wants Plaid to be a home to everyone who is “ambitious about creating a fairer, greener, more prosperous society”, including those who are curious about independence but perhaps not fully convinced.

He previously told Sky News it was “not useful” to put a date on a referendum.

This article was originally published by Sky.com. Read the original article here.