NEW Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price has unveiled his new shadow cabinet.

Former leader Leanne Wood and rival Rhun ap Iorwerth - who both ran against Mr Price in the leadership election - have both been handed senior roles, with responsibility for housing and social justice, and economy and finance respectively.

South Wales East's Steffan Lewis has been given the external affairs portfolio, while Mid and West Wales AM Helen Mary Jones - who only returned to the Assembly in August following the resignation and arrest of Simon Thomas, having previously served between 1999 and 2011 - has responsibility for health and social services.

Arfon AM Sian Gwenllian is the party's new shadow education and the Welsh language secretary while North Wales' Llyr Gruffydd has been given the environment and rural affairs portfolio.

South Wales West AMs Dai Lloyd and Bethan Sayed have been given responsibility for local government, care and public services and education, skills and innovation respectively.

Mr Price, who was elected as the party's new leader last month, said: “This is the Plaid Cymru led government we are proposing for 2021 and one that will lead us on to building a new Wales.

“I am honoured to lead a strong and united shadow cabinet that has a radical and transformative programme for government.

“By utilising the talents and experiences of all our elected AMs, we are ready to demonstrate what can be achieved by a committed, determined party of government with a radical imagination and the political will to carry it out.

“We are calling time on this tired Labour Welsh government. Now’s the time for new energy, new ideas, a new direction and a new dynamic. Plaid Cymru stands ready to lead on to a new Wales. The change begins now.”

The only Plaid Cymru AM not to be part of the shadow cabinet is Ceredigion AM Elin Jones, who is the Assembly's presiding officer and therefore not eligible to serve in a political role.