ANGLESEY AM Ieuan Wyn Jones secured a dramatic return to lead Plaid Cymru into the next Assembly session. In a dramatic day, Mr Jones beat pretender to the throne Helen Mary Jones AM for Mid and West Wales by only 71 member votes. Earlier in the voting, the third election candidate Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr polled 1,014, which meant he was forced to drop out. After Mr Thomas' votes were transferred to their next preference Mr Jones emerged as the winner polling 2,603 votes, with Helen Mary Jones trailing behind on 2,532 votes. The new Plaid Assembly leader will now be able to go into this weekend's party conference in Cardiff and take his place before the party faithful with newly elected President, popular folk singer Dafydd Iwan, who beat Cynog Dafis MP. Speaking to the Mail, a delighted Mr Jones AM, said: "I am extremely happy that party members decided to back me in this close contest. "It must be a first that a politician has resigned and then been re-elected. "I look forward to working with new President, Dafydd Iwan, and I'm sure that Helen and Rhodri will be given leading roles in the Assembly, as we must harness everybody's talents. "I am very grateful for the party's continued confidence in me. "I look forward to leading the Assembly group in attacking New Labour's pathetic failureto deliver for Wales. " We need a real parliament for Wales with real powers to tackle the real issues that concern the people of Wales. "I wish to thank Plaid Cymru's Anglesey members, many of them helped me during the campaign." Leader of Anglesey County Council Plaid Cymru group, Cllr Fflur Hughes was looking forward to working closely with Mr Jones. She said: "I am extremely happy that both Ieuan Wyn Jones and Dafydd Iwan have been elected. "It shows that when he resigned it was against the members' wishes, who wanted him to stay as leader." In May, following disappointing Assembly election results, which saw the party drop from 17 to 12 seats, Ieuan Wyn Jones resigned as President and Assembly Leader. As no other Assembly Member stood for the presidency Ieuan Wyn Jones felt free to trytoregain his leadership. Mr Jones was first elected in 1987 as the island's MP. Following Dafydd Wigley resignation as Plaid Cymru President in 2000, Mr Jones won the election to lead the party, again beating rival Helen Mary Jones AM. | 
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