Pair who were kicked out of Senedd parties run for re-election
Senedd CommissionTwo Senedd politicians who were kicked out of their parties during the parliament's last term have confirmed they will be seeking re-election as independents in May.
Rhys ab Owen, who initially served as a Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS) before being expelled from the party in 2024, is standing in the new Caerdydd Penarth constituency.
Russell George, who was elected as a Welsh Conservative MS before being kicked out of the group last year, is standing in Gwynedd Maldwyn.
A full list of all the parties and candidates standing in both constituencies is available on the websites of relevant councils.
Ab Owen was elected to the Senedd in 2021, representing the South Wales Central region for Plaid Cymru.
But he was suspended from the party in November 2022 amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour, and sat as an independent MS for the remainder of the Senedd term.
He was banned from the Senedd for six weeks in 2024 after its standards watchdog found he had inappropriately touched and sworn at two women while drunk on a night out five months before being elected.
The Senedd committee which considered the findings said at the time that ab Owen had denied inappropriate touching.
In a statement before his ban, ab Owen said he accepted "responsibility for his behaviour and the consequences of that behaviour".
George, who represented Montgomeryshire in the last Senedd, was suspended from the Tories' group in April 2025 after being charged with betting offences along with 14 others.
It followed an investigation into bets on the timing of the 2024 general election.
George has denied the charges and is currently awaiting trial.
Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru, Reform UK, the Welsh Tories, the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Green Party are all fielding candidates in the seats being contested by ab Owen and George.
In Caerdydd Penarth, Britain's Communist Party, the Heritage Party and Propel are also standing.
And in Gwynedd Maldwyn, Gwlad and the Heritage Party are also standing as is independent candidate Monty Kennard.
Former MSs who unsuccessfully seek re-election can claim a winding up payment worth three months' salary.
They can also claim a resettlement payment worth one month's pay for every complete year they were an MS up to a maximum of six months' salary.
Those who do not seek re-election are only entitled to a winding up payment of two months' salary and are not entitled to any resettlement payments.
Nominations for the 7 May election closed yesterday.
Under the new electoral system six candidates will be elected from each of the 16 new Senedd constituencies.
