Cynog Dafis

Cynog Glyndwr Dafis (born 1 February 1938) is a Welsh politician and member of the Plaid Cymru party. Was a school teacher and researcher before entering politics.

Education

BA Hons in English at University of Wales Aberystwyth and gained a M.Ed. degree there (Aberystwyth)

Political career

He was an Member of Parliament for Ceredigion from 1992 until 2000, having been supported by a coalition of local Plaid Cymru and Green party activists. In 2000 he resigned to devote more time as a member of the National Assembly for Wales.

In a speach at the 2000 National Eisteddfod at Llanelli, Cynog Dafis, Plaid Cymru AM, called for a new Welsh language movement with greater powers to lobby for the Welsh language at the Assembly, UK, and EU levels. Dafis felt the needs of the language were ignored during the first year of the Assembly, and that in order to ensure a dynamic growth of the Welsh language a properly resourced strategy was needed In his speach Dafis encouraged other Welsh language advocacy groups to work closer together creating a more favorable climate in which in which using Welsh was "attractive, exciting, a source of pride and a sign of strength". Additionally, Dafis pointed towards efforts in areas such as Catalonia and the Basque country as successful examples to emulate.

Lord Elis-Thomas, former Plaid Cymru president, dissagreed with Dafis assessment, however. At the Urdd Eisteddfod Lord Elis-Thomas said that there was no need for another Welsh language act, citing that there was "enough goodwill to safeguard the language's future". His controversal comments prompted Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg to joined a chorus calling for his resignation as the Assembly's presiding officer.

In 2002, he announced he would step down from the Assembly at the 2003 elections, despite party leader Ieuan Wyn Jones having asked him not to do so. Soon after the elections in 2003, he announced his candidacy for Presidency of the party, but lost to Dafydd Iwan.