Dafydd Wigley

The Right Honourable Dafydd Wigley (born April 1, 1943) is a Welsh politician. He served as Plaid Cymru member of Parliament for Caernarfon until 2001, and was leader of the party from 1991 to 2000. Image File history File links Wigley. ... Image File history File links Wigley. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom and England, see British Isles (terminology). ... Plaid, long known as Plaid Cymru (pronounced IPA: ), is the principal nationalist political party in Wales. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... Caernarfon, 2002 Caernarfon (the Welsh spelling is now normally used in preference over the anglicised forms, Caernarvon or Carnarvon) is a royal town in north-west Wales. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Wigley was born in Derby, England, but attended Caernarfon grammar school before going on to the University of Manchester and training as an accountant. He was employed by Hoover as a financial controller before entering parliament. This article is about the city of Derby in England. ... A grammar school is a type of school found in some English-speaking countries. ... The University of Manchester in Manchester, England, was formed by the merger of the Victoria University of Manchester (commonly known as the University of Manchester before the merger) and UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) on 1 October 2004. ... The name Hoover can refer to: J. Edgar Hoover, chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for many years Herbert Hoover, mining engineer, President of the United States Lou Henry Hoover, wife of President Herbert Hoover M. Herbert Hoover, an Ohio politician Bob Hoover, legendary airshow and test pilot, author...

He married the international harpist Elinor Bennett. The couple had four children, but twin sons died of a genetic illness. His sons' condition influenced the direction of his career, and he took a strong interest in the affairs of disabled people, being vice-chair of the Parliamentary all-party disablement group, vice-president of Disability Wales, vice-president of Mencap (Wales), former president of the Spastics' Society of Wales and sponsor of the Disabled Persons Act in 1981.

In 1974 he became one of Plaid Cymru's first three MPs to be elected at a General Election, and first became the party's president in 1981. Gwynfor Evans had led Plaid Cymru since 1945, but resigned after the devastating of the Yes Campaign in the Wales referendum 1979. It was naturally assumed that either Wigley or Dafydd Elis Thomas would suceed him as president. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Gwynfor Evans (1 September 1912 – April 21, 2005), was a Welsh politician and the first Member of Parliament to represent Plaid Cymru at Westminster (1966-1970; 1974-1979). ... Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas AM is a UK politician from Wales. ...

The election for president was seen as instrumental in deciding the future direction of the Plaid Cymru. It is a common misconception that Wigley's politics were right-wing. In reality, he represented a moderate, pragmatic social-democracy, which was in sharp contrast with rival candidate Dafydd Elis Thomas' far-left socialism. Wigley's triumph in 1981 was largely a pyrrhic victory - he won the presidency, but Elis Thomas would have a greater influence over the party's ideology throughout the 80s. In 1984 Wigley resigned from the presidency because of his children's health, but returned to the job in 1991 after the resignation of Dafydd Elis Thomas. Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas AM is a UK politician from Wales. ... A Pyrrhic victory (pronounced pirric) is a victory which is won at too great a cost for the victor. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas AM is a UK politician from Wales. ...

In 1999 Wigley became a member of the National Assembly for Wales, and led the Plaid Cymru opposition to Labour. He was repeatedly nominated by the Welsh public as the most popular political party leader, before his resignation from the leadership on medical advice in 2000. In 2003 he became Pro-Chancellor of the University of Wales. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The National Assembly for Wales (or NAfW) (Welsh: Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru) is a devolved assembly (not a full legislature) with power to make regulations in Wales, and also is responsible for most UK government departments in Wales. ... For an explanation of often confusing terms such as Great Britain, Britain, United Kingdom and England, see British Isles (terminology). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The University of Wales, or Prifysgol Cymru in Welsh, is a federal university founded in 1893. ...