I issued the press release this morning (26th Feb 2025), which essentially says I’m seeking the nomination of the Pen-Y-Bont Bro Morgannwg super-constituency to lead the Plaid Cymru list for Senedd elections next May.

I’m really pleased to have received the endorsements of ALL the elected members in the constituency and want to thank them for the support and the trust they have put in me. The next step is to begin the conversation with members across the super-constituency so that they get to know more about me, and me about them. As I wrote back in 2016 on this blog

“Wales needs a different road map – we’ve slavishly followed the same plan as everyone else, and consistently failed to address the major issues that are relevant to us, here in Wales. Moreover, in lots of ways, using the plans of others has simply exacerbated some of our own problems – and yet political discourse in Wales is filled with managerialism and incrementalism. There are few radical alternatives being discussed, let alone put into action. For those who the current system benefits, I can understand a willingness to continue with the status quo – but for the vast swathes of Wales where it’s not working, this mustn’t be as good as it gets. The entire Welsh political agenda should be rebalanced to deliver better lives for all, not simply for an already well heeled minority. In simpler terms we need to beat inequality.”

“I clearly see the need for a radical, progressive Wales, and one where the deeds match the rhetoric.”

I’ve unique experience, shaped over 30 years working at the top of business, setting up projects myself (as diverse as a community radio station to a community bank) through to working in Government itself. I want to bring that experience to bear to address the big issues I’ve referred to above and that will only happen via a Plaid Cymru team in the Senedd that is leading the Government after May 26. My first step is this nomination process and I’m taking that step full of hope, energy and enthusiasm.

Ymlaen!

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MARK HOOPER YN LANSIO EI YMGYRCH I’R SENEDD

Heddiw, mae Cynghorydd Sir Plaid Cymru ym Mro Morgannwg, Mark Hooper, wedi cyhoeddi ei fwriad i geisio am brif enwebiad aelodau lleol Plaid Cymru ar gyfer uwchetholaeth Pen-y-Bont a Bro Morgannwg.

Mae’r Cynghorydd Hooper yn adnabyddus ar draws Plaid Cymru a’r mudiad annibyniaeth ehangach ac mae wedi canolbwyntio ei ymgyrch ar y cyfoeth o brofiad y byddai’n ei gynnig i’r rôl. Yn gyfrifydd wedi cymhwyso, mae gan Mark fanylion gyrfa cryf sy’n cwmpasu profiad lefel uwch mewn busnes FTSE; mae wedi sefydlu busnes o’r newydd a chwmni cydweithredol, datblygu partneriaeth gydag undeb llafur mawr ac yn ddiweddar bu’n gweithio yn y Llywodraeth fel Cynghorydd Arbennig fel rhan o Gytundeb Cydweithio Plaid Cymru.

Yn ei lyfr Independent Nation yn 2020, disgrifiwyd Mark (ochr yn ochr â’i gydweithiwr hir-dymor, Tegid Roberts) gan y newyddiadurwr Will Hayward fel:

‘… un a ystyrir i fod ymhlith y meddylwyr blaenllaw yn y mudiad annibyniaeth.‘

Ysgrifennodd Hayward ymhellach:

‘nid sôn am annibyniaeth yn unig mae’r ddau, maen nhw’n mynd ati i adeiladu’r sefydliadau i geisio cael Cymru i safle fel y gall sefyll ar ei phen ei hun’

Mae Hooper yn lansio ei ymgyrch ar ôl sicrhau cefnogaeth lawn holl aelodau etholedig etholaeth Bro Morgannwg ac mae ganddo gefnogaeth Cadeirydd etholaeth y blaid hefyd.

Ymhlith un o gefnogwyr mwyaf brwd Mark mae’r Cynghorydd Ian Johnson, Arweinydd Grŵp Plaid Cymru ar Gyngor Bro Morgannwg, ac ymgeisydd y Blaid yn Etholiad Cyffredinol yr haf diwethaf. Dywedodd: “Rwy’n ‘nabod Mark ers amser maith a dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf ac rwy’ wedi ei weld yn brwydro dros ei etholwyr ac yn gorfodi’r cyngor Llafur i fod yn yn atebol. Mae angen profiad Mark arnom ym Mae Caerdydd, ac mae angen ei syniadau arnom ar gyfer peri newid hefyd.”

Dywedodd y Cynghorydd Shirley Hodges, sy’n arwain y grŵp o naw ar Gyngor Tref y Barri: “Fe wnes i recriwtio Mark i Blaid Cymru ddegawd yn ôl oherwydd fe welais i ynddo yr ymbenderfyniad hwnnw yr oedd ei angen arnom yn y Blaid. Byddai’n dod â’r dur hwnnw at ein Senedd. Mark yw’r ymgeisydd y byddai’n well gan y pleidiau eraill nad oedd yno, ac mae hynny i mi yn dweud y cyfan.”

Geraint Evans, dyn busnes adnabyddus yn y Barri sydd wedi ymddeol ac sy’n nai i Aelod Seneddol cyntaf erioed y Blaid, Gwynfor Evans, yw cadeirydd Plaid Cymru dros etholaeth Bro Morgannwg. Mae’n credu bod gan Mark y profiad i fod yn Aelod Senedd eithriadol ac mae wedi rhoi ei gefnogaeth lawn iddo. Dywedodd Geraint: “Mae’n debyg mai’r etholiad hwn sydd ar ddod yw’r pwysicaf hyd yma yn yr oes ddatganoledig. Mae’n ddyletswydd arnom ni, fel aelodau’r Blaid, i ddewis yr ymgeiswyr gorau un i gynrychioli pobl Cymru, ac yn yr achos hwn dylai aelodau Plaid Cymru ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr a’r Fro ddewis Mark – mae angen ei ddeallusrwydd, ei brofiad a’i farn yn y Siambr arnom. Does gen i ddim amheuaeth wrth annog aelodau i ddewis Mark i fod ar frig rhestr Plaid Cymru.”

Dywedodd Mark: “Rwy’n falch iawn i gyflwyno fy hun i fy nghyd-aelodau yn etholaethau Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr a’r Fro. Rwy’n sefyll dros y gymuned lle cefais fy magu a lle rwyf bellach wedi adeiladu fy mywyd teuluol. Rwyf wedi fy ngwreiddio yma ac rwyf am chwarae rhan weithgar wrth sicrhau bod Llywodraeth dan arweiniad y Blaid yn cyflawni gwelliannau diriaethol i fywydau’r bobl rwy’n byw ac yn gweithio ochr yn ochr â nhw.”

Mae Mark hefyd wedi cadarnhau cefnogaeth dros 20 o bobl o bob rhan o gymunedau gwleidyddol, academaidd a busnes ar draws Cymru sydd wedi cymeradwyo ei ymgyrch. Bydd yr ardystiadau hyn yn cael eu dadorchuddio wrth i’r ymgyrch fynd yn ei flaen.

Mae Tegid Roberts, sydd wedi gweithio gyda Mark ar sefydlu Banc Cymunedol i Gymru, Banc Cambria, yn un ohonyn nhw. Dywedodd: “Rwyf wedi adnabod a gweithio gyda Mark ers bron i 13 mlynedd. Mae ei ddewis fel prif ymgeisydd ar gyfer y Senedd, yn fy marn i, yn anghenreidiol – mae angen meddlywyr a gweithredwyr fel Mark ar Gymru. Gwyddwn hefyd y bydd Llywodraeth dan arweiniad Plaid Cymru yn dod o dan y microsgop gan y rhai sy’n benderfynol o’i thanseilio – mae angen gwleidyddion gyda’r dewrder i barhau i ganolbwyntio ar newid a pheidio â chael eu dargyfeirio gan y rhai nad ydynt yn poeni am Gymru – mae ffocws Mark yn ei wneud yn un o’r gwleidyddion hynny.”

Daeth Mark i’r casgliad: “Rwy’n edrych ymlaen at yr ymgyrch fewnol hon ar gyfer dethol ymgeiswyr, ond mae’r frwydr go iawn yn dechrau pan fydd y bleidlais hon yn cau a Phlaid Cymru yn nodi ein gweledigaeth fanwl am Gymru well. Rwyf am chwarae rhan weithgar yn y frwydr honno o syniadau ac felly rwy’n ceisio cefnogaeth aelodau i gael bod ar frig y rhestr ym Mhen-y-Bont a Bro Morgannwg.”

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MARK HOOPER LAUNCHES SENEDD CAMPAIGN BID

Plaid Cymru Vale of Glamorgan County Councillor, Mark Hooper, has today announced his intention to seek the primary nomination of local Plaid Cymru members for the super constituency of Pen-Y-Bont Bro Morgannwg.

Councillor Hooper is well-known across Plaid Cymru and the wider independence movement and has focused his campaign on the wealth of experience he would bring to the role. A qualified accountant, Mark has a strong CV that encompasses senior level experience at a FTSE business; he’s founded a new-start business; set up a co-operative, developed a partnership with a large trade union and recently worked in Government as a Special Adviser as part of Plaid’s Co-operation Agreement.

In his 2020 book Independent Nation, journalist Will Hayward, described Mark (alongside his longtime collaborator, Tegid Roberts) as:

‘…considered to be among the leading thinkers in the independence movement.‘

Hayward further wrote:

‘the pair are not just talking about independence, they are actively building the institutions to try to get Wales into a position to stand on its own’

Hooper launches his campaign having secured the full backing of all the elected members of the Vale of Glamorgan constituency and has the Chair of the constituency party in his corner too.

Mark has received firm backing from Cllr Ian Johnson, Plaid’s Leader on the Vale of Glamorgan Council, and the party’s candidate in last summer’s General Election. In endorsing him he said: “I’ve known Mark for a long time and over the past few years I’ve witnessed him at close hand taking the local Labour-run administration to task and contributing on behalf of his constituents. We need Mark’s experience in Cardiff Bay, and we need his ideas for change too.”

Cllr Shirley Hodges, who leads the nine-strong Barry Town Council group said: “I recruited Mark into Plaid Cymru a decade ago because I saw the grit and determination we needed in the Party. As a Senedd Member he would bring that steel to bear in our Senedd. Mark is the candidate opposition parties would prefer wasn’t there, and that for me, says it all.”

Geraint Evans, the well-known Barry businessman and nephew of Plaid’s first ever MP, Gwynfor Evans, is the Party’s local constituency chair. He believes Mark has the experience to make an exceptional Senedd Member and has thrown his full support behind him. Geraint said: “This upcoming election is probably the most important in the devolved era. It is incumbent on us, as Party members, to select the very best candidates to represent the people of Wales, and in this case Plaid members in Bridgend and the Vale should choose Mark – we need his intellect, experience and judgement in the Siambr. I have no hesitation in recommending members select Mark to top the Plaid Cymru list.”

Mark said: “I’m very proud to be putting myself forward to members across the Bridgend and Vale constituencies. I’m standing for the community in which I grew up and where I have now built my family life. I am rooted here and want to play an active part in ensuring a Plaid-led Government delivers tangible improvements to the everyday lives of the people I live and work alongside.”

Mark has also confirmed the backing of over 20 people from across the Welsh political, academic and business communities who have endorsed his campaign. These endorsements will be unveiled as the campaign evolves. Tegid Roberts, who has worked with Mark on the establishment of a Community Bank for Wales, Banc Cambria, is one of them. He said: “I’ve known and worked with Mark for almost 13 years. Selecting him as lead candidate for the Senedd is, in my view, a necessity – Wales needs thinkers and doers like Mark. We also know that a Plaid-led Government will come under the microscope from those determined to undermine it – we need politicians with the bravery to stay focused on change and not get buffeted by those who don’t care about Wales – Mark is one of those politicians.”

Mark concluded: “I’m looking forward to this internal campaign for selection, but the real battle starts when this poll closes and Plaid sets out our vision, in detail, for a better Wales. I want to play an active part in that battle of ideas and am therefore seeking members’ support to top the list in Bridgend and The Vale of Glamporgan.”