▁a ▁Bang or ▁practice ▁led ▁by ▁former ▁Labour ▁MP ▁for ▁Con wy , ▁Sir ▁El w yn ▁Jones . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁Wel sh ▁Assembly ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁he ▁cont ested ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁Con wy ▁in ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁Assembly ▁E lections . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Jones ▁unexpected ly ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Wel sh ▁Assembly ▁for ▁the ▁North ▁Wales ▁elect oral ▁region , ▁filling ▁the ▁seat ▁vac ated ▁by ▁the ▁ex - Wel sh ▁Office ▁minister ▁Rod ▁Rich ards , ▁who ▁had ▁res igned ▁for ▁health ▁reasons . ▁ ▁Jones ▁made ▁it ▁clear ▁from ▁the ▁out set ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁seek ▁re - e lection ▁to ▁the ▁Assembly ▁and ▁stepped ▁down ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁elections . ▁ ▁Parliament ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁Jones ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁MP ▁for ▁Cl w yd ▁West , ▁defe ating ▁the ▁sitting ▁Labour ▁Party ▁MP ▁G are th ▁Thomas ▁by ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁ 1 3 3 ▁votes . ▁This ▁was ▁his ▁third ▁candid acy ▁for ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party ▁in ▁general ▁elections ; ▁he ▁had ▁previously ▁cont ested ▁Con wy ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁election ▁and ▁finished ▁second ▁to ▁Labour ' s ▁Christ ine ▁Russell ▁in ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Ch ester ▁in ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁His ▁ma iden ▁speech ▁to ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁was ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0