David Hywel Francis (born June 6, 1946) is a Welsh politician and current member of Parliament. Francis, a Labour MP, has represented the constituency of Aberavon in Parliament since 2001.
Francis was born in Onnlwyn, Neath, the son of David and Catherine Francis. He attended Whitchurch Grammar School and Llangtwg Secondary School before studying at the University of Wales at Swansea, where he earned a doctorate in history. Francis continued to work at the University of Wales as a Professor in Continuing Education from 1972 to 1999. In 1973, he founded the South Wales Miners' Library, and in 1997 became a Policy Adviser on Lifelong Learning. Francis also was the chair of the Wales Congress in Support of Mining Communities (1984–1986).
In 1999, Francis became a Special Advisor to Paul Murphy, the Secretary of State for Wales. Murphy worked in this position until 2000. The following year, he was elected to the House of Commons.
Francis is a member of Gorsedd, the Socialist Educational Association, and the Aberavon Rugby Football Club. He is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and the Vice President of Llafur, the Welsh Labour History Society, as well as NIACE, an organization for adult learning. He also chaired the Paul Obeson Cymru Committee in 2000 and founded the Bevan Foundation.
Francis speaks Welsh. He is married to Mair Price, and has two sons and a daughter.
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