# Buffy Williams

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Welsh politician (born 1976)

For the Canadian rower, see [Buffy-Lynne Williams](/source/Buffy-Lynne_Williams).

Buffy Williams BEM Williams in 2021 Member of the Senedd for Rhondda In office 6 May 2021 – 7 April 2026 Preceded by Leanne Wood Succeeded by Constituency abolished Personal details Born Elizabeth Williams (1976-11-01) 1 November 1976 (age 49) Williamstown, Rhondda, Wales Party Welsh Labour

**Elizabeth** "**Buffy**" **Williams** (born 1 November 1976) is a Welsh politician who was the [Labour](/source/Welsh_Labour) Member of the [Senedd](/source/Senedd) for [Rhondda](/source/Rhondda_(Senedd_constituency)) until April 2026.

She won the seat from former [Plaid Cymru](/source/Plaid_Cymru) leader [Leanne Wood](/source/Leanne_Wood) in the [2021 Senedd election](/source/2021_Senedd_election) before losing her seat in the [2026 Senedd election](/source/2026_Senedd_election).

## Early life and career

Williams was born and brought up in the [Rhondda](/source/Rhondda) community of [Williamstown, Rhondda Cynon Taf](/source/Williamstown%2C_Rhondda_Cynon_Taf), the daughter of a trade union activist. She left school at the age of sixteen to work in a factory, but continued studying.[1]

Williams is the manager of a community centre,[2] and worked for more than 20 years in the third sector, having set up Canolfan Pentre. Other campaigns she has been involved with include saving the local A&E in the [Royal Glamorgan Hospital](/source/Royal_Glamorgan_Hospital) from a closure proposed by her own party, and helping in response to the floods caused by [Storm Dennis](/source/Storm_Dennis).[3]

In March 2021, the Labour Party was criticised for nominating Williams for a Welsh Government award, the [St David Awards](/source/St_David_Awards), after she had been selected as a candidate for the Senedd elections.[2] The [Welsh Conservatives](/source/Welsh_Conservatives) asked whether it was appropriate "for the first minister to be seen to be using the prestigious St David Awards to reward his Labour election candidates."[2]

Williams won the Rhondda constituency seat on 6 May 2021 from the former Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, with a majority of 5,497.[4][5]

In February 2025 during a trial at [Merthyr Tydfil](/source/Merthyr_Tydfil), it emerged that a member of staff from Williams’ office had made a complaint to the Police that resulted in a former [Royal Marine](/source/Royal_Marine) Commando, Jamie Michael, being charged and prosecuted for inciting racial hatred. The complaint related to a Facebook video he had posted in the aftermath of the [2024 Southport stabbings](/source/2024_Southport_stabbings), in which he stated "we are under attack" from illegal migrants. He referred to "psychopaths" and "scumbags", whom his lawyer said was only a reference to criminal migrants. He was acquitted unanimously in under an hour.[6] In the aftermath, Williams received significant online abuse.[7]

In the [2026 Senedd election](/source/2026_Senedd_election), she was a candidate in the [Afan Ogwr Rhondda constituency](/source/Afan_Ogwr_Rhondda_(Senedd_constituency))[8] and second on the party list.[9] Under the [D'Hondt method](/source/D'Hondt_method) she failed to be re-elected.

## Personal life

She is married with three children and lives in [Pentre](/source/Pentre), the Rhondda.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Mosalski_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Mosalski_1-1) Mosalski, Ruth (28 March 2021). ["Senedd election 2021: Who is standing in Rhondda?"](https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/senedd-election-2021-who-standing-19600682). *WalesOnline*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210509082511/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/senedd-election-2021-who-standing-19600682) from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-StDavid_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-StDavid_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-StDavid_2-2) Williams, James (23 March 2021). ["Labour candidates for St David Awards 'inappropriate'"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-56489708). *BBC News*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210507212342/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-56489708) from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Williams, Kathryn; Dewey, Philip (7 February 2020). ["The incredible acts of kindness taking place in the aftermath of Storm Dennis"](https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/storm-dennis-kindness-community-spirit-17761135). *WalesOnline*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20211101144739/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/storm-dennis-kindness-community-spirit-17761135) from the original on 1 November 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood loses Rhondda Senedd seat"](https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-05-07/former-plaid-cymru-leader-leanne-wood-loses-rhondda-senedd-seat). *[ITV News](/source/ITV_News)*. 7 May 2021. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210512060945/https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-05-07/former-plaid-cymru-leader-leanne-wood-loses-rhondda-senedd-seat) from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Morris, Steven (7 May 2021). ["Labour makes big gains in Wales defeating ex-Plaid Cymru leader"](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/07/welsh-voters-deliver-mixed-election-results-for-labour-and-tories). *[TheGuardian.com](/source/TheGuardian.com)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210507235254/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/07/welsh-voters-deliver-mixed-election-results-for-labour-and-tories) from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Cheung, Iolo (5 February 2025). ["Ex-footballer not guilty of racial hatred on Facebook"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75zke1l7ylo). *BBC News*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Shipton, Martin (13 February 2025). ["Senedd Member suffers vile social media abuse"](https://nation.cymru/news/senedd-member-suffers-vile-social-media-abuse/). *Nation.Cymru*. Retrieved 20 February 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Senedd election: Senior Labour MSs face three-way selection fight"](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crk283v2nx4o). *BBC News*. 2 June 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Senior Labour figure comes third in selection contest"](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz0dvplz7eno). *BBC News*. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.

v t e Members of the Senedd 2021–2026 6th Senedd Labour (29-30) Mick Antoniw Hannah Blythyn Dawn Bowden Jayne Bryant Hefin David (died Aug 2025) Alun Davies Mark Drakeford († till Mar 2024) Rebecca Evans Vaughan Gething († Mar-Jul 2024) John Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Mike Hedges Vikki Howells Jane Hutt Huw Irranca-Davies Julie James Jeremy Miles Eluned MorganR† († since Jul 2024) Julie Morgan Sarah Murphy Lynne Neagle Rhianon Passmore Jenny Rathbone David Rees Jack Sargeant Ken Skates Carolyn ThomasR Lee Waters Joyce WatsonR Buffy Williams Conservatives (14-16) Natasha AsgharR Andrew RT DaviesR († till Dec 2024) Paul Davies Gareth Davies James Evans ( –Jan 2026) Janet Finch-Saunders Peter Fox Russell George ( –Apr 2025) Tom GiffardR Altaf HussainR Mark IsherwoodR Joel JamesR Laura Anne JonesR ( –Jul 2025) Samuel Kurtz Darren Millar † († since Dec 2024) Sam RowlandsR Plaid Cymru (12-13) Rhys ab OwenR ( –Nov 2022) Cefin CampbellR Luke FletcherR Heledd FychanR Llŷr Huws GruffyddR Peredur Owen GriffithsR Mabon ap Gwynfor Siân Gwenllian Rhun ap Iorwerth † († since June 2023) Delyth JewellR Elin Jones Adam Price († till May 2023) Lindsay Whittle (since Oct 2025) Sioned WilliamsR Liberal Democrats (1) Jane DoddsR† Reform (0-2) James Evans (Jan 2026– ) Laura Anne JonesR (Jul 2025– ) Independent (0-1) Rhys ab OwenR (Nov 2022– ) Russell George (Apr 2025– ) Llywydd (presiding officer): Elin Jones † = Party leaders R = Regional MS

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Buffy Williams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_Williams) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffy_Williams?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.