Delwyn Williams

{{Short description|British Conservative politician (1938–2024)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Delwyn Williams | image = Delwyn_Williams.jpg | alt =  | caption = Delwyn Williams outside Welshpool Town Hall following his election victory, May 1979 | birth_name = David John Delwyn Williams | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1938|11|01}} | birth_place = [[Forden]], Wales | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2024|08|21|1938|11|01}} | death_place = [[Welshpool]], Wales | other_names = | profession = Politician and solicitor | spouse = {{marriage|Olive Jerman|1963}} | children = 2 | office = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br />for [[Montgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Montgomeryshire]] | term_start = 3 May 1979 | term_end = 13 May 1983 | predecessor = [[Emlyn Hooson, Baron Hooson|Emlyn Hooson]] | successor = [[Alex Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew|Alex Carlile]] | party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] (before 2007) }}

'''David John Delwyn Williams''' (1 November 1938 – 21 August 2024) was a British [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] politician and solicitor.

==Early life== Williams was born in [[Forden]], Montgomeryshire.<ref name = Times>{{cite news|url = https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/delwyn-williams-fzgx78ggf|title = Delwyn Williams obituary: MP in Wales and self-described 'Maggie's boy'|date = 20 September 2024|accessdate = 20 September 2024|newspaper = [[The Times]]|url-access = subscription}}</ref> He was educated at Welshpool High School and the [[Aberystwyth University|University College of Wales, Aberystwyth]], where he obtained an LL.B. degree.<ref name = Times/> He subsequently qualified as a solicitor, working in Forden and [[Shrewsbury]].<ref name = Times/>

==Political career== Williams was elected to the Montgomeryshire County Council.<ref name = Times/> He unsuccessfully fought the [[1970 United Kingdom general election]],{{citation needed|date = September 2024}} and the [[February 1974 United Kingdom election|February 1974]] elections, the latter at [[Ceredigion (UK Parliament constituency)|Cardiganshire]].<ref name = Times/> He was elected [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|member of parliament]] for the traditionally Liberal seat of [[Montgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Montgomeryshire]] in [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979]], ousting [[Emlyn Hooson]] by a majority of 1,593 votes. He lost the seat by 668 votes after one term to the Liberal [[Alex Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew|Alex Carlile]] in [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983]]. He was on the right wing of the party, and a strong supporter of [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref name = Times/> After leaving parliament, he continued to work as a solicitor.<ref name = Times/>

He stood in a by-election to [[Powys County Council]] in 2007 in the Welshpool, Gungrog ward as an Independent but came third behind the Liberal Democrat candidate and another Independent.<ref name = Times/>

In the campaign for the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 General Election]] he publicly declared his support for the [[United Kingdom Independence Party]], citing in at least one newspaper letter dissatisfaction with the Prime Ministerial record of [[David Cameron]], and objection to proposals by the Conservatives to extend tax raising powers to the [[Welsh Assembly]].<ref name=shropstar>{{cite news|title=Premier pledges (letter), Your Views and Comments|work=Shropshire Star|date=5 May 2015|page=9}}Letter published for benefit of former Conservative supporters.</ref>

In September 2016 he criticised Wales Boundary Commission proposals that would partition the then Montgomeryshire UK Parliament seat between three neighbouring seats, claiming it would "create a bureaucratic nightmare" of three MPs representing the existing shire county area. He suggested instead the whole seat be amalgamated with the neighbouring [[Brecon and Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon and Radnorshire]] on grounds of their common administration under Powys County Council.<ref>{{cite news|title=Former MP urges re-think on move|work=Shropshire Star|date=17 September 2016|page=16}}</ref>

==Personal life and death== Williams married Olive Jerman in 1963, and they had two children.<ref name = Times/><ref>{{cite news |last1=Walsh |first1=Ruairi |title=Ex-MP Lord Carlile pays tribute to Delwyn Williams |url=https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/24550337.ex-mp-lord-carlile-pays-tribute-delwyn-williams/ |access-date=30 August 2024 |publisher=County Times}}</ref>

As of 2015, Williams lived in [[Guilsfield]], Montgomeryshire.<ref name=shropstar /> He died on 21 August 2024, at the age of 85.<ref name = Times/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Former Montgomeryshire MP passes away |url=https://www.mywelshpool.co.uk/viewernews/articleId/26261/Former-Montgomeryshire-MP-passes-away |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.mywelshpool.co.uk}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Hansard-contribs| mr-delwyn-williams | Delwyn Williams }} * Times Guide to the House of Commons 1983

{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{succession box | title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Montgomeryshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Montgomeryshire]] | years = [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979]]–[[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983]] | before = [[Emlyn Hooson]] | after = [[Alex Carlile, Baron Carlile of Berriew|Alex Carlile]] }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Delwyn}} [[Category:1938 births]] [[Category:2024 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century Welsh lawyers]] [[Category:20th-century Welsh politicians]] [[Category:Alumni of Aberystwyth University]] [[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies]] [[Category:People from Montgomeryshire]] [[Category:UK Independence Party people]] [[Category:UK MPs 1979–1983]] [[Category:Welsh solicitors]]