Gareth Bennett (politician)

Gareth Bennett is a Welsh politician who has been a UK Independence Party Member of the National Assembly for Wales for South Wales Central since the National Assembly for Wales election, 2016.
He was educated at Radyr Comprehensive School and Cardiff Institute.

Biography

Gareth Bennett is a Welsh politician, who has been a UKIP member of the Welsh Assembly since 2016.

He was born in Cardiff on 1 December 1968. Bennett was educated at Llandaff City junior school and Radyr Comprehensive. He swam competitively for City of Cardiff Swimming Club, and was later a member of Cardiff Amateur Athletics Club. He represented South Glamorgan in both sports.

He studied at Middlesex Polytechnic (sociology). He left halfway through the course, returning to Cardiff to pursue journalism at the Cardiff Institute of Higher Education, when lead to a post with the Carmarthen Journal, West Wales (1992 -1996). Since then he has worked in the private sector in a wide array of jobs.

Writing

(1989 - 1982) Bennett co-founded and editing the Cardiff City Football Club fanzine "O Bluebird of Happiness". He has 4 books published by The History Press co-written with David Collins: Never Mind the Bluebirds (The Ultimate Cardiff City Quiz Book), Never Mind the Bluebirds 2 (Another Ultimate Cardiff City Quiz Book!),

The Secret Premier League Diary of a Cardiff City Fan and The Little Book of Cardiff (a local history book) between 2012-15.

Offices Held

National Assembly for Wales Member for South Wales Central He is a member of the Equalities, Local Government and Communities Committee and the Petitions Committee.

The party he represents is UKIP and he is responsible for the South Wales Central Region. He began his term of office on the 6th May 2016.

UKIP

Bennett was selected to lead UKIP's regional party list in South Wales Central in March 2016. This was a surprise to many within the party who were unhappy about it. He was interviewed by the press including ITV news.