Marc
worked as a journalist with the Wrexham Evening Leader, Daily Post a’r Liverpool Echo before going to work in
television, specialising in investigations with Y Byd ar Bedwar, Taro Naw and Week In Week Out.
He also
worked as a freelance journalist as well as editing Golwg magazine before going
over to the dark side in 2007 as a press officer for North Wales Assembly
Members in the North.
He joined
Plaid Cymru aged 18 and has been politically active since then as a community
activist with the anti-apartheid movement, anti-poll tax campaign and countless
local campaigns. He was active in the movement against the wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq.
He has
been a member of the National Union of Journalists for 27 years and believes
strongly that progressive unions have a central place in a modern Wales.
He was
elected to Wrecsam Council in 2008, when Plaid won a historic breakthrough for
the first time ever on that authority. As a councilor he achieved one key
election promise in establishing allotments in the ward with 54 plots.
Despite
increasing his vote in 2012, he lost by 50 votes. He currently sits as chair of
Caia Park Community Council.
He
founded and chairs the community cooperative that runs Wrecsam’s Welsh centre,
Saith Seren. The centre is a permanent legacy of the 2011 National Eisteddfod
and has just celebrated its first birthday. It currently employs five people
and hopes to expand as building work comes to an end on the first floor.
Marc
Jones says: “Saith Seren has succeeded because of the investment of about
100 people. We haven’t had a penny of public grant. Sometimes that has made
things more difficult but, in the long run, everything we have achieved has
happened because of the commitment of the members. It shows what is possible
when ordinary people do extraordinary things.”
On top of this he is a trustee of a local mental health charity and a
board member of the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust, which owns the local football
club and is another great example of people reclaiming their community.
He says: “By
standing as a candidate for Europe, I want to build on my experience of
grassroots campaigning to be a community champion for the whole of Wales. I
will certainly use my direct knowledge of establishing new enterprises to
scrutinise the use of European budgets by public bodies in Wales.”
He is
determined to make a positive difference for Plaid:
“I
first joined Plaid aged 18. I came back to the party mainly
because of the influence of politicians like Leanne Wood.
“I
have stood on behalf of Plaid for the Assembly in 2011 and the council on
several occasions.
“Since
becoming secretary of the Wrecsam branch, membership has nearly doubled in five
years because we are a campaigning grassroots branch that uses older members’
experience and younger members’ enthusiasm in tandem.
“I
believe I can contribute to raising the profile, activity and membership of
Plaid here in Wales and in Europe.
THIS IS MARC’S VIEW OF THE EUROPEAN CHALLENGE:
If I can elected to Europe my priorities will be:
• Safeguard CAP payments to Welsh farmers, to secure the viability of our family farms
• Challenge and scrutinise the effectiveness of WEFO,
the funding office for European grants
• Be a key part of Plaid’s team here in Wales
• Challenge and scrutinise the heavy-handed
bureaucracy of the European Union
• Cooperate with other parties to promote the
interests of Wales and other similar nations within Europe
For more information contact:
@marc1ewrop
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