As I am off travelling to the Far East for a few days, I thought I would establish an open thread for the first time until I am back on the blogosphere.
As probably the only 'tory in the lecture-room', I have always been intrigued by the political allegiances of others within the university world in Wales (or even those from Wales working in other parts of the academic world). I am particularly interested in those who have actually stood for political office.
So, if you have any names, please put them forward.
As a good academic, I will moderate this blog entry and check for veracity and accuracy!
Let me start you off with one from each of the four parties:
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans - Conservative and University of Wales
Dr Hywel Francis MP - Labour and formerly chair in continuing education
Professor Phil Cooke, Plaid Cymru and Cardiff University
Dr Alan Butt Philip, Liberal Democrats and Reader in European Integration at Bath University
Over to you!
Comments
Didn't Felix Aubel do some teaching in history at Lampeter after (or during?) completing his PhD?
There are loads if you want to go far back. Hilary Marquand, Saunders Lewis, W.J. Gruffudd, Gareth Wardell...
Some Plaid profs to throw into the mix: Hywel Teifi Edwards (Llanelli circa 1979?), Laura McAllister (stood for Bridgend or Ogmore? when very young), E.G. Millward (Montgomery, 1959?) and of course Phil Williams - Welsh politics's favourite astrophysicist.
Didn't Peter Stead once stand for the Labour Party?
Penri James will join the list soon - lecturer in agriculture / rural economics at Aberystwyth.
We've forgotten a really obvious one though - John Marek. Used to be a maths lecturer at Aberystwyth.
Didn't Plaid's Eifion lloyd Jones teach media studies at bangor University at one time?
Also J.E. Daniel for Plaid in the by-election following DLG's retirement.
Professor Kevin Morgan (Labour)
Professor Brian Morgan (tried to get a Labour assembly seat in 1998)
Professor Merfyn Jones - card carrying socialist (although he won''t admit it)
Professor Richard Davies of Swansea stood for Plaid in the 1970s
Gareth Wyn Jones (dicw's dad) - Plaid through and through
But what about Dicw himself?
Jones and Hopkin (along with Bangor's Duncan Tanner) were editors of the centenary volume on the Welsh Labour Party.
Mark Drakeford was an academic before his days of being a SpAd and standing with little success for the assembly and cardiff council.
Lord Morgan of Aberdyfi (historian and former Aberystwyth VC K.O. Morgan) is a working Labour peer.
Russell Deacon has stood for the Welsh Liberal Democrats for Caerphilly Council.
Professor Paul Meara of Swansea University is a Welsh Liberal Democrat Councillor in Swansea.
Professor John France (now retired) taught history at Swansea and used to be a Labour Councillor and stood for Parliament for them.
Councillor Keith Marshall of Gwynedd Council is a Welsh Liberal Democrat and I think teaches at Bangor.
Not many women on here