Bethan Sayed
Bethan Sayed | |
---|---|
Janet Davies | |
Personal details | |
Born | Aberdare, Wales | 9 December 1981
Political party | Plaid Cymru |
Alma mater | Aberystwyth University |
Bethan Sayed (née Jenkins, born 9 December 1981) is a Welsh politician. She represented the South Wales West region for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the Senedd from 2007 to 2021.
Early life and education
Sayed was born in Aberdare, the daughter of poet Mike Jenkins.[1] She grew up in Merthyr Tydfil, where both her parents were involved in the anti-apartheid movement of the 1980s and early 1990s.[2] Her brother is the Channel 4 News reporter Ciaran Jenkins.
She was educated at
Through student politics, she was elected to theSenedd
In 2006, Jenkins was selected as Plaid Cymru's lead candidate for the South West Wales Regional list and was duly elected in the subsequent elections of May 2007.[8][9] Jenkins was initially Plaid Cymru's Child Poverty and Culture Spokesperson for the Plaid Cymru group at the National Assembly, and sat on the Communities and Culture committee, Audit committee, and the Petitions Committee.[citation needed]
In 2012, Jenkins was appointed Plaid's spokesperson for Heritage,
In August 2020, Sayed announced she would not be standing in the 2021 Senedd election.[16][17]
Controversies
During her first year as an
In June 2012, Jenkins called
Early in the hours of 14 October 2012, Jenkins was arrested by South Wales Police in Llandaff, Cardiff, for driving erratically. When tested for alcohol, she was more than twice the legal limit. She was released on bail by police pending further enquiries. Jenkins issued a statement, stating that there were "no excuses" for what she had done, and that she had resigned her position as Plaid's spokeswoman on heritage, the Welsh language and sport. Her statement also stated that she had been receiving professional medical help for depression. On Monday, 15 October 2012, Jenkins was suspended from the Plaid group of AMs "while the process of justice takes its course".[22] On 12 November 2012, Jenkins was charged with drink driving,[23] and on 19 December was banned from driving for 20 months.[24]
In the wake of a damning report that found "a culture of sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination" within Plaid Cymru, Sayed (as Jenkins had become known) claimed that party leader Adam Price had known about those issues for years.[25]
Personal life
In February 2018, she married Rahil Sayed,
Sayed has called for the abolition of the
References
- ^ "About Mike". Mikejenkins.net. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "It's Appnin, Goj". Mikejenkins.net. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "AM joins old classmates for school awards event". Wales Online. 29 March 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Alumni at the Senedd". Aberystwyth University. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ "Profile: Bethan Jenkins AM". Port Talbot Magnet. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Students protest over lighting". BBC. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Bethan Jenkins". New Statesman. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Women members of the National Assembly for Wales". Center for Advancement of Women in Politics. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Language, Identity & Cultural Rights and Devolution in Wales" (PDF). Democraticprogress.org. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Nuclear support sees Lord Elis Thomas moved from environment in Plaid reshuffle". WalesOnline. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Leanne Wood rejigs Plaid Cymru's team". BBC News. 21 March 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "More must be done to help patients with eating disorders in Wales, says cross-party group". WalesOnline. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "AM quits Twitter in McGuinness Queen row". ITV. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood attacked over Welsh republican meeting". WalesOnline. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ "Protests will be 'footnote' as King visits Cardiff says Mark Drakeford". Nation.Cymru. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ Sayed, Bethan [@bethanmsayed] (28 August 2020). "Now I'm sitting in my living room crying... Glad my baby is sleeping.... Such a hard decision to make to stand down. But my gut is telling me its the right thing to do. Its been a ride! I've loved it. From your megaphone queen, ymlaen!" (Tweet). Retrieved 28 August 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Perkins, Liz (28 August 2020). "Bethan Sayed steps down from the Senedd after 13 years". WalesOnline. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ^ "AM defends expense payments for flat in Cardiff". Wales Online. 21 August 2008. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ "Cuts in AMs' exes". Wales Online. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ "Plaid AM Bethan Jenkins claimed expenses for night in Cardiff hotel after watching Rihanna gig". Wales Online. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- BBC Wales. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
- BBC Wales. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
- ^ "Plaid Cymru AM Bethan Jenkins charged with drink-driving". BBC News. 12 November 2012.
- ^ "Bethan Jenkins AM banned for 20 months for drink-driving". BBC News. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ "Adam Price knew of serious problems within Plaid Cymru five years ago - Bethan Sayed". Nation.Cymru. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- user-generated source]
- ^ a b "Baby Steps into Welsh - Bethan and Rahil Sayed". Mudiad Meithrin. 10 June 2021.
- ^ Sayed, Bethan [@bethanmsayed] (5 March 2018). "Please note my change of name. It is my personal and professional name so please update your address books to Bethan Sayed AM! Diolch mawr" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 March 2018 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Campaigners plan protest against Crown Estates to mark King's birthday". 12 June 2023.