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Huw Thomas (Welsh politician)

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Cllr
Huw Thomas
Leader of Cardiff Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 May 2017
Preceded byPhil Bale
Cardiff Councillor for Splott Ward
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 May 2012
Personal details
Born1985
Aberystwyth
Political partyWelsh Labour
Alma materOxford University, Aberystwyth University

Huw Thomas is a Welsh Labour politician and leader of Cardiff Council since May 2017.[1]

Childhood and education

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Huw Thomas was born in Aberystwyth in 1985 and attended local schools before studying Music at Oxford University and a Masters in International Relations at Aberystwyth University

After graduating he worked in the third sector in Cardiff, including for Sustrans[2] and as Head of Christian Aid Wales.[3]

Political career

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Cardiff Council Executive (2012-2014)

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Thomas was elected to represent the Splott ward on Cardiff Council in 2012 he was immediately appointed as Executive Member for Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure & Sport in the new Labour administration.[4] In this role he oversaw the renovation of Fairwater leisure centre,[5] as well as the small role Cardiff played in the 2012 Olympic games.[6] Later that year, plans to hold the World Boxing Convention in Cardiff in 2013 fell through, with the Convention's organisers saying the new administration had 'shown no interest' in holding the event. Thomas responded by saying that the cost of £200,000 the previous administration had pledged "delivered nothing to ordinary people", describing the costs the council were asked to contribute to as 'staggering'.[7] Former Deputy leader of the Council, Neil McEvoy called for Thomas' resignation over the cancellation.[8] Thomas later announced community boxing development grants for 8 boxing clubs across Cardiff.[9] He also worked towards bids for Cardiff to host the Euro 2020 football tournament[10][11] and the 2026 Commonwealth Games,[12] and secured the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race.[13][14]

In July 2013 he was briefly moved to become the Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and the city's local development plan.[15] However, the council's legal team decided that Thomas' role for Sustrans constituted a conflict of interest, and he was therefore moved three days later to hold the portfolio for Adult Services.[2] Thomas left his post in March 2014 following the appointment of new Council leader Phil Bale.[16]

Ceredigion 2015 Campaign

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In February 2014[17] Thomas was selected as the Welsh Labour candidate to contest Ceredigion in the 2015 General Election where he finished fifth with 9.7% of the vote.[18]

During the election his was highly critical of his Plaid Cymru rival Mike Parker over Parker's remarks made in 2001 about English people coming to live in Wales which he described as parts of Wales of being inhabited by "gun-toting Final Solution crackpots" and likened English incomers [to Mid Wales] as Nazis. Thomas said: "There should be no place in our politics or our society for such divisive and hateful language."[19] It emerged during the campaign that as a student he had suggested to friends in Wales via an online forum that cars flying the English Flag during the 2006 World Cup could be vandalised with tippex whilst simultaneously suggesting that those who flew them were a "simpleton" or a "casual racist". Thomas apologised for the remarks in 2015 when they were published by the BBC.[20]

Leader of Cardiff Council (2017 to present)

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Thomas was re-elected as a Councillor in 2017 and quickly announced he planned to challenge the then leader of Cardiff Council Phil Bale for the leadership - a challenge he duly won.[21][22][23] He was at the time Wales' youngest council leader, at age 31.[24] He declared the construction of the new Cardiff Bus Interchange and Central square redevelopment plan, as well as a new indoor arena for Cardiff as his priorities upon becoming leader.[25]

As leader he proposed a Cardiff style 'Crossrail' scheme,[26] and faced criticism for suggesting a Congestion Charge for Cardiff.[27]

References

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  1. ^ Ruth Mosalski (8 May 2017). "Cardiff Labour group picks Huw Thomas as its new leader". Wales Online. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b Law, Peter (26 July 2013). "Council leader forced into double reshuffle". South Wales Echo. p. 11.
  3. ^ "City Councillor 'privileged' to be head of Christian Aid". South Wales Echo. 26 May 2015. p. 9.
  4. ^ "NEW LEADER JOYCE SPRINGS CABINET SHOCK". South Wales Echo. 15 May 2012. p. 10.
  5. ^ "Leisure centre gets a revamp". South Wales Echo. 19 June 2012. p. 13.
  6. ^ Law, Peter (19 July 2012). "THE OLYMPIC PROFITS &LOSS; Sports chief insists Cardiff's host city status will generate unprecedented global exposure". South Wales Echo. p. 4.
  7. ^ Gaskell, Simon (25 July 2012). "POLITICAL ROW AS BIG BOXING EVENT IS CANCELLED; Organisers pull out of convention as the new Labour council says it would not benefit many". South Wales Echo. p. 10.
  8. ^ Gaskell, Simon (27 July 2012). "'Councillor should resign over boxing cancellation'; Ex deputy council leader furious convention not going ahead". South Wales Echo. p. 27.
  9. ^ "Pleased as punch with boxing grants". South Wales Echo. p. 10.
  10. ^ Morgan, Sion (25 January 2013). "Setback to Euro 2020 Game Plan". South Wales Echo. pp. 26–27.
  11. ^ Morgan, Sion (25 January 2013). "'Two airports' rule could see Wales' Euro 2020 dream end; BUT BRISTOL DEAL COULD MEAN CAPITAL HOSTS GAMES". The Western Mail. p. 15.
  12. ^ Law, Peter (15 February 2013). "READY, SET GO AS CITY STARTS BID FOR GAMES; Ambitious wish list of sporting events is announced by council ; as part of plan to bring 2026 Commonwealth Games to capital". South Wales Echo. pp. 4–5.
  13. ^ "CARDIFF UNVEILED AS HOST PORT FOR VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2017-18". UK Government News. 6 March 2013.
  14. ^ Sanders, Alison (7 March 2013). "IT'S THE SAIL OF THE CENTURY!; Biggest yacht race in world set to stop off in the capital". South Wales Echo. pp. 14–15.
  15. ^ "Three new faces in Cardiff council cabinet reshuffle; NEWS IN BRIEF". South Wales Echo. 23 July 2013. p. 9.
  16. ^ Saunders, Alison (25 March 2013). "Russell Goodway out of Cardiff Council's cabinet as new leader stamps his authority". WalesOnline. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Huw Thomas selected as Welsh Labour candidate for Ceredigion". Tivyside Advertiser. 10 February 2014.
  18. ^ "Ceredigion parliamentary constituency - Election 2015" – via bbc.co.uk.
  19. ^ "Election 2015: Plaid Cymru candidate in Nazi slur row". BBC News. 8 April 2015 – via bbc.co.uk.
  20. ^ "Election 2015: Candidate suggested cars be damaged". BBC News. 10 April 2015 – via bbc.co.uk.
  21. ^ Mosalski, Ruth (9 May 2017). "Bale ousted as city leader". South Wales Echo. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  22. ^ Mosalski, Ruth (16 May 2017). "These are the people who have been put in charge of running Cardiff's cabinet – and former leader Russell Goodway is back". WalesOnline. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  23. ^ "Cardiff council: Huw Thomas is new Labour group leader". BBC News. 8 May 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  24. ^ Mosalski, Ruth (9 May 2017). "Youngest council leader, 31, takes over". The Western Mail. p. 6.
  25. ^ Barry, Sion. "'Bus terminal and indoor arena are my top priorities'". The Western Mail. pp. 22–23.
  26. ^ "South Wales Metro: Cardiff council proposes 'Crossrail' scheme". BBC News. 4 July 2019 – via bbc.co.uk.
  27. ^ "Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas answers the key criticisms of the proposed congestion charge". 20 January 2020 – via walesonline.co.uk.
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