Aberdare: Memorial for late Cynon Valley Labour MP Ann Clwyd after death aged 86

Ms Clwyd passed away in July, aged 86. Credit: PA Images

A public memorial is being held later to remember the life and work of the late Labour MP, Ann Clwyd.

Having won the Cynon Valley by-election in 1984, Ms Clwyd became the fourth woman to have represented a Welsh constituency.

She died in July aged 86 and Sir Tony Blair, Sir Keir Starmer and First Minister Mark Drakeford paid tribute to her.

Ann Clwyd was the longest-serving Welsh MP. Credit: PA Images

The memorial is taking place at St Elvan's Church in Aberdare on Friday afternoon.

However, the church said that because of "capacity restrictions", entry is "strictly by advance reservation only".

In September, the current Labour Cynon Valley MP, Beth Winter, described Ms Clwyd in parliament as a "strong, independently minded woman, and advocate for women's rights".

  • Who was Ann Clwyd? Our Political Editor Adrian Masters explains

Ms Clwyd was seen a trailblazer with a commitment to causes that often brought her into conflict with those who led her own party at Westminster and in Cardiff.

From her early career as a journalist for ITV Wales’ predecessor company, TWW, to her campaigning work for the Kurdish people, she was relentless in the way she went about her work, even when it cost her popularity.

MPs paid tribute to Ms Clwyd in parliament back in September. Credit: PA Images

She was on the losing side in the 1979 devolution referendum which itself split the Labour Party in Wales.

Becoming an MP was an uphill struggle as she overcame sexism in the Welsh Labour Party to win selection.

She faced many setbacks, including being on the losing side in the 1979 devolution referendum, which split the Labour party in Wales.

As an MP she made a career as a rebel, sacked twice from the front-bench, but finally found herself on the same side as Mr Blair.

After 35 years in parliament, Ms Clwyd stood down at the 2019 general election.

She described it as “a great honour to represent the people of the Cynon Valley for so long".

Her memoir was entitled 'Rebel With a Cause.' As an epitaph, it could not be more apt. 

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