Jill Evans

Jill Evans
Evans in 2014
Member of the European Parliament for Wales
In office 10 June 1999 – 31 January 2020
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	(1959-05-08) 8 May 1959 Ystrad, Rhondda, Wales
Political party	Welsh Plaid Cymru EU European Free Alliance
Spouse	Syd Morgan
Alma mater	University of Wales, Aberystwyth Glamorgan University (now the University of South Wales)
Occupation	Member of the European Parliament
Website	http://www.jillevans.net/

Video Introduction (English) / (Welsh)

Jill Evans (born 8 May 1959) is Plaid Cymru politician who served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Wales from 1999 to 2020.

In June 1999, Evans was elected as the MEP for Plaid Cymru, and was subsequently reelected every five years ever since. From 2009 until 2014, she was the Vice-President of the Greens/European Free Alliance Group, and is a member of the Committee on Culture and Education.

She also deputised on the Transport and Tourism Committee and was a member of the Delegation for relations with Switzerland and Norway and to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Background

Evans was born in Ystrad, Rhondda. She was educated at Tonypandy Grammar School before attending the Polytechnic of Wales, Trefforest (now University of South Wales) where she earned an M.Phil.

Professional career

Evans worked as a Research Assistant at the former Polytechnic of Wales. She later worked as public affairs officer for the National Federation of Women's Institutes in Wales for six years. Following her first election to public office, she took up the post of Wales Organiser for CHILD - the infertility support network.

Political career

Evans was a political activist before being elected to public office, and participated in the Greenham Common campaign. She first stood in Torfaen in the General Election of 1987. She was later elected to Rhondda Borough Council in 1992, Mid Glamorgan County Council in 1993, and, following the abolition of these, to the Rhondda Cynon Taf Council in 1995, standing down in 1999.

During her time as a councillor, she was elected as Plaid Cymru's Alternate Member of the Committee of the Regions in 1993 and served for four years, and was also the party's representative on the European Free Alliance, working with Plaid Cymru's sister parties throughout the continent.

Evans was Chair of Plaid Cymru between 1994 and 1996. In June 1999 she was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Wales, becoming the Party's first MEP. Evans was re-elected at subsequent elections in 2004, 2009, 2014 and 2019.

During the 2009 – 2014 Parliament, Evans was a member of the Green / European Free Alliance (EFA) Group - the fourth largest group in the Parliament. She was the President of EFA, and the first Vice-President of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament. She also deputised on the Delegation for Relations with the Palestine Legislative Council.

She was a member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Delegation for relations with Iraq. She deputised on the Agriculture Committee.

In the parliament (2014 - 2019), Evans was the Vice-President of the EFA Group, and a member of the Committee on Culture and Education. She deputised on the Transport and Tourism Committee. She was also a member of the Delegation for relations with Switzerland and Norway and to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area (EEA) Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Evans is the former President of Plaid Cymru, and the current Chair of CND Cymru.