Peredur Owen Griffiths MS

Key Interests and achievements

Peredur Owen Griffiths is a Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd first elected in 2021 to represent the South Wales East Region and re-elected in 2026 to represent the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency. He chaired the Senedd Finance Committee in his first term and has developed a strong reputation for detailed scrutiny of public finances, devolved funding settlements and the Welsh budget.

His key political interests include local government, transport, community cohesion, substance use and addiction, community regeneration and fair funding for Wales. He has spoken frequently on the need for better investment in Welsh infrastructure, improved public transport, stronger local government funding and a fairer fiscal settlement for Wales.

Peredur is particularly focused on the communities of South East Wales, including Newport, Islwyn, Caerphilly, Blackwood and the surrounding valleys. He has been closely involved in campaigning across the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency and has worked to build support for Plaid Cymru in areas where the party has historically had to fight hard to be heard.

He is also committed to ensuring that politics remains rooted in local communities, with an emphasis on practical campaigning, listening to residents and delivering visible representation.

Personal history

Peredur has strong personal and working roots in south east Wales. He has lived, worked and campaigned across the region for many years, including in Newport, the Islwyn area and the wider valleys.

His connection to Newport is particularly important to him. It is a city where he has worked, campaigned and built relationships, and it forms a central part of his political identity. He often draws on local history, including the Chartist tradition, to connect today’s political challenges with Wales’s long struggle for democracy, fairness and representation.

Peredur’s politics are shaped by a belief in community, public service and national confidence. He believes Wales should be ambitious about its future while remaining grounded in the everyday concerns of people and communities.

Professional background

Before becoming a Member of the Senedd, Peredur worked across Wales and gained experience that gave him a practical understanding of local communities, public services and the challenges facing people across the country and beyond.

As a student in Sheffield, Peredur took a job in banking. After completing his degree, Peredur was fast-tracked into being a Bank Manager for Santander, and was able to move back to Wales to complete his training. Whilst with Santander, Peredur worked in branches across south Wales, including Newport, Monmouth, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Blackwood, Cwmbran, Barry, Tonypandy, and Cardiff.

After Santander, came Principality Building Society, where Peredur worked as a Business Development Manager for the commercial and then residential mortgage arm of the business. After 13 years in the Financial sector, Peredur joined Christian Aid as Regional Coordinator for South Wales and Legacy Officer for Wales as a whole.

During this time, he joined the Board of Directors for Displaced People in Action, a charity working to place refugees. His next step was to join Cytûn: Churches together in Wales, where he worked with the many faith groups across Wales.

Since his election to the Senedd in 2021, he has served as a member of the Plaid Cymru Senedd Group and has built a particular specialism in finance, budget scrutiny and the relationship between Welsh public services and the wider UK funding system.

As Chair of the Senedd Finance Committee (2021-2026), he has led scrutiny of Welsh Government budgets, public spending decisions and the financial implications of legislation. His work has included detailed examination of the Barnett formula, devolved fiscal powers, the Wales Reserve, borrowing limits and the impact of UK Government spending decisions on Wales.

He has also taken a close interest in transport funding, including rail investment, bus services, active travel and the classification of major UK transport projects that affect Wales’s share of funding.

Political history

Peredur has been active in Plaid Cymru for many years, serving the party in a range of local, regional and national roles. He has held responsibilities within constituency structures and has contributed to the party’s internal work on finance and organisation.

He was elected as a Member of the Senedd for South Wales East in 2021. During his first term, he became known for his work on finance, local government and transport, as well as his commitment to representing communities across the region.

Within the Senedd, he has contributed to debates on the Welsh budget, public services, local government settlements, transport policy, rail infrastructure, devolution and constitutional issues. He has also taken an active role in scrutinising legislative consent matters and the financial implications of UK legislation for Wales.

Peredur has worked closely with communities across south east Wales, listening to their experiences and raising issues of equality, anti-racism, community cohesion and representation. He has also spoken out on Gaza, calling for peace, humanitarian protection and the upholding of international law, while standing with communities in Wales affected by the conflict.

Peredur has chaired the Cross Party group on Substance Use and Addiction that has drawn experts and people with lived experience together to inform and develop policy in line with harm reduction principles.

Peredur has been closely involved in Plaid Cymru’s campaigning in Casnewydd Islwyn, helping to build the party’s local organisation, increase visibility and strengthen support in communities across Newport and Islwyn.