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Former Plaid Cymru chief and Senedd Presiding Officer Lord Elis-Thomas has died on the age of 78, his household has introduced.
Dafydd Elis-Thomas led Plaid between 1984 and 1991 and served as MP for Meirionydd after which Meirionydd Nant Conwy between 1974 and 1992, when he was appointed to the House of Lords.
He was the primary presiding officer, or speaker, of the brand new Welsh Assembly when it opened in 1999.
Known for being unbiased minded, he later clashed with the Plaid management and left the occasion in 2016, ultimately serving as a minister – although not a celebration member – in Carwyn Jones and Mark Drakeford’s governments.
He retired from the Senedd and front-line politics in 2021.
In a press release, his household mentioned he died “peacefully at his home” on Friday morning following a brief sickness.
“The family request privacy at this difficult time.”
Plaid Cymru chief Rhun ap Iorwerth mentioned his loss of life “will be a huge loss to Welsh politics and the civic life of Wales”.
He described Lord Elis-Thomas as “one of the most influential figures of his generation” who made a “priceless contribution in laying the firm foundations of devolution”.
“We remember Dafydd as a groundbreaking MP when he became the youngest Member of the 1974 UK Parliament before leading Plaid Cymru with passion and distinction.
“Dafydd was a private pal to my household and I, and was an influential determine throughout my childhood,” ap Iorwerth said, adding that Elis-Thomas’ “love for our nation, its language and tradition was unwavering”.
Former Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of Lord Elis-Thomas’s death.
“He was at all times forthright and sturdy when expressing his views, and for that I admired him strongly,” he added.
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