Richard Edwards

Richard Edwards (born 25 August 1956 in Llanelli) He also attended Swansea University.

Career He worked as a researcher and election agent for Alan Williams MP. having first been elected to Carmarthen Town Council in 1991. He was initially selected to chair the assembly Local Government and Environment Committee, before committees were changed in March 2000, from which point on he chaired the Environment, Planning and Transport Committee.

In November 2001, he announced his intention to stand down from the Welsh Assembly at the 2003 Welsh Assembly election, due to an illness he at the time refused to disclose. It was later revealed to have been leukemia, and that he had been suffering from it since shortly after being selected as a candidate in 1999.

In 2002, Edwards called for the Welsh media to end its 'obsession' with rugby, a sport he described Wales as being 'frankly hopeless' at, saying that they should instead focus on football. He was criticised by Gareth Evans, who stated that he was "just jumping on a bandwagon" and that Wales "have had five minutes of glory in football. [Wales has] enjoyed more success in rugby over the past 100 years."

Political views

Defense

Conflict in the Middle East During his time in the assembly he was notable for his condemnation of the foreign policy of Tony Blair, condemning strikes on Afghanistan in October 2001, and subsequently criticising the Blair government's approach in the lead up to the Iraq War. He called for Blair to be arrested and charged with war crimes if the UK went to war in Iraq without a second UN resolution at Welsh Labour's 2003 conference.

Nuclear Disarmament Edwards issued a statement of support for protests against the UK's Trident nuclear program.

GMOs Edwards helped to lead opposition to the rollout of GMO crops in Wales, including presenting a petition against their introduction to First Minister Rhodri Morgan, alongside Pembrokeshire colleague Christine Gwyther.

Republicanism In 2003, he was reprimanded by Presiding Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas for describing Queen Elizabeth II as a parasite, while calling for AMs to be able to take an oath of allegiance to Wales, rather than to the Queen.