Leanne Wood

Leanne Wood
Wood in 2016
Leader of Plaid Cymru
In office
16 March 2012 – 28 September 2018
PresidentThe Lord Wigley
DeputyElin Jones (2012–2016)
ChairmanHelen Mary Jones
Dafydd Trystan Davies
Alun Ffred Jones
Preceded byIeuan Wyn Jones
Succeeded byAdam Price
Leader of the Opposition
In office
5 May 2016 – 14 October 2016
MonarchElizabeth II
First MinisterCarwyn Jones
Preceded byAndrew RT Davies
Succeeded byAndrew RT Davies[1]
Member of the Senedd
for Rhondda
In office
6 May 2016 – 6 May 2021
Preceded byLeighton Andrews
Succeeded byElizabeth Williams
Member of the National Assembly for Wales for South Wales Central
In office
1 May 2003 – 6 April 2016
Preceded byPauline Jarman
Succeeded byNeil McEvoy
Personal details
Born (1971-12-13) 13 December 1971 (age 52)
Llwynypia, Glamorgan, Wales
Political partyPlaid Cymru
SpouseIan Brown
Children1
Alma materUniversity of Glamorgan
WebsiteOfficial website

Leanne Wood (born 13 December 1971) is a Welsh politician who served as the leader of Plaid Cymru from March 2012 to September 2018, and served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) from 2003 to 2021.

Born in the Rhondda, she was elected as to the then National Assembly for Wales in 2003, representing South Wales Central until 2016, when she was elected for Rhondda. She lost her seat to Welsh Labour at the 2021 Senedd election.

Ideologically, Wood identifies as a socialist, republican and proponent of Welsh independence. She was the first female leader of Plaid Cymru and the first to learn Welsh as an adult, rather than being brought up speaking Welsh.

  1. ^ Vacant 14 October 2016 – 6 April 2017