Brynle Williams, Welsh activist (fuel protests) and politician, AM for North Wales (from 2003) died he was , 62.

Brynle Williams  was a North Wales Assembly Member (AM) for the Welsh Conservative Party in the National Assembly for Wales died he was , 62.. Elected from the North Wales Regional list, he was Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs from 2007-2011. Williams, who was a farmer from North Wales, was a colourful political figure who was respected for his straight talking and campaigning on rural issues; although privately he admitted he never saw himself as a politician. ^[1]
Williams rise to prominence began in 1997-98 when he joined protesters blockading the Port of Holyhead on Anglesey over the importation of Irish beef. ^[2] He later became a leader in the UK fuel protests in 2000. ^[3]

(9 January 1949 – 1 April 2011)

Political career

Williams was first elected to the Welsh Assembly on 1 May 2003 and was re-elected in 2007; serving until his death in 2011. He was Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs from 14 July 2007 and sat on the Sustainability ^[4], Rural Development ^[5], and Standards committees. ^[6]
Williams had also been the Conservative spokesman for Environment, Planning and Countryside and Local Government in the Second Assembly (2003-07), during which time he was Chair of the North Wales Regional Committee. During his time in the assembly he carved out a role as a champion of farming and rural affairs.

Personal life

Williams was born in Cilcain, Flintshire. He began farming at 15. As a sheep and cattle farmer, he was also an expert and an international judge of Welsh cobs (ponies). ^[7]
For more than 20 years, Williams was a member of the Livestock Committee of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society that organises the Royal Welsh Show ^[8] In 2010, he realised a lifetime ambition when he was given the honour of judging the supreme champion at the RWS. ^[7] In total he missed only six Royal Welsh shows in 45 years.
Williams was also Chairman of Flintshire County Farmers Union of Wales for eight years, a lifetime member of the Welsh Pony and Cob Society ^[9] and President of the Denbighshire and Flintshire Agricultural Society. ^[7]
Brynle Williams died after being diagnosed with colon cancer in the summer of 2010. ^[10][1] Following the announcement of his death, First Minister Carwyn Jones said Mr Williams was "colourful" and a "tough battler". Welsh Conservative assembly leader Nick Bourne said he was "immensely popular" across all parties; and Prime Minister David Cameron called him a "straight talker and a great loss to the assembly and to Wales". He was married and had a son and daughter. ^[11]

 

To see more of who died in 2010 click here