Introduction
Simon Robert Maurice Baynes (born 21 April 1960) is a British Conservative politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clwyd South in the 2019 general election.
Baynes worked in finance for J.P. Morgan Cazenove from 1982 to 2006, before running a small bookshop.
Career
The son of Sir John Christopher Malcolm Baynes, 7th Baronet, he was educated at Shrewsbury School and Magdalene College, Cambridge. He stood as the Welsh Conservative candidate in Montgomeryshire in 2005, finishing second behind incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik.He unsuccessfully sought the Conservative nomination for the seat of South Staffordshire in 2010, losing out to future cabinet minister Gavin Williamson. He then contested Dwyfor Meirionnydd at the 2010 general election and the same seat in the 2011 National Assembly for Wales Election.
He served as the mayor of the Montgomeryshire town of Llanfyllin. As a councillor, Baynes campaigned to improve mobile phone signals, and to keep local banks and maternity services open.
Baynes has contested elections in Clwyd South on three occasions. He first contested Clwyd South (Assembly constituency) in the 2016 Welsh Assembly election. In 2017 he contested the Westminster seat. On all three occasions he finished second.
Baynes was elected to Parliament in the 2019 general election to serve in the 58th Parliament. He defeated the incumbent Labour MP Susan Elan Jones.
On 2 March 2020, Baynes became a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee.
Outside politics
Baynes runs a charity which provides live music in care homes for the elderly.
Electoral history
2019 UK General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Simon Baynes | 16,222 | 44.7 | +5.6 | |
| Labour | Susan Elan Jones | 14,983 | 41.3 | -9.4 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Christopher Allen | 2,137 | 5.9 | -0.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Calum Davies | 1,496 | 4.1 | +2.2 | |
| Brexit Party | Jamie Adams | 1,468 | 4.0 | N/A | |
| Rejected ballots | 110 | ||||
| Majority | 1,239 | 3.4 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 36,306 | 67.3 | -2.4 | ||
| Registered electors | 53,919 | ||||
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 7.5 | |||
2017 UK General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Susan Elan Jones | 19,002 | 50.7 | +13.5 | |
| Conservative | Simon Baynes | 14,646 | 39.1 | +8.7 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Christopher Allen | 2,292 | 6.1 | -4.2 | |
| UKIP | Jeanette Bassford-Barton | 802 | 2.1 | -13.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Bruce Roberts | 731 | 2.0 | -1.8 | |
| Rejected ballots | 56 | ||||
| Majority | 4,356 | 11.6 | +4.7 | ||
| Turnout | 37,473 | 68.9 | +5.1 | ||
| Registered electors | 54,266 | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | +2.4 | |||
2016 Welsh Assembly Election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Ken Skates | 7,862 | 35.5 | -6.9 | |
| Conservative | Simon Baynes | 4,846 | 21.9 | -7.3 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Mabon ap Gwynfor | 3,861 | 17.4 | -1.1 | |
| UKIP | Mandy Jones | 2,827 | 12.8 | +12.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Aled Roberts | 2,289 | 10.3 | +0.5 | |
| Green | Duncan Rees | 474 | 2.1 | +2.1 | |
| Majority | 3,016 | 13.6 | +0.3 | ||
| Turnout | 22,159 | 40.9 | +4.0 | ||
| Labour hold | Swing | +0.2 | |||
2011 Welsh Assembly Election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Elis-Thomas | 9,656 | 46.6 |  13.1
| |
| Conservative | Simon Baynes | 4,239 | 20.4 |  0.8
| |
| Llais Gwynedd | Louise Hughes | 3,225 | 15.5 | N/A | |
| Labour | Martyn Singleton | 2,623 | 12.6 | 0.2
| |
| Liberal Democrats | Stephen Churchman | 1,000 | 4.8 | 3.5
| |
| Majority | 5,417 | 26.1 | 14.0
| ||
| Turnout | 20,743 | 46.3 | 1.1
| ||
| Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | 7.0
|
|||
2010 UK General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | Elfyn Llwyd | 12,814 | 44.3 | N/A | |
| Conservative | Simon Baynes | 6,447 | 22.3 | N/A | |
| Labour | Alwyn Humphreys | 4,021 | 13.9 | N/A | |
| Liberal Democrats | Stephen Churchman | 3,538 | 12.2 | N/A | |
| Independent | Louise Hughes | 1,310 | 4.5 | N/A | |
| UKIP | Frank Wykes | 776 | 2.7 | N/A | |
| Majority | 6,367 | 22.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 28,906 | 63.7 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 45,354 | ||||
| Plaid Cymru win (new seat) | |||||
2005 UK General election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | Lembit Öpik | 15,419 | 51.2 | +1.8 | |
| Conservative | Simon Baynes | 8,246 | 27.4 | −0.5 | |
| Labour | David Tinline | 3,454 | 11.5 | −0.4 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Ellen ap Gwynn | 2,078 | 6.9 | +0.1 | |
| UKIP | Clive Easton | 900 | 3.0 | +0.3 | |
| Majority | 7,173 | 23.8 | +2.3 | ||
| Turnout | 30,097 | 64.4 | −1.1 | ||
| Registered electors | 46,766 | ||||
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +1.2 | |||