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Samuel Kurtz

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Samuel Kurtz
Kurtz in 2021
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and the Welsh Language[a]
In office
18 April 2024 – 20 January 2026
LeaderAndrew RT Davies
Darren Millar
Preceded byRole Re-organised
Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs and the Welsh Language
In office
7 May 2021 – 18 April 2024
LeaderAndrew RT Davies
Preceded byJanet Finch-Saunders[b]
Succeeded byJames Evans
Member of the Senedd
for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
In office
7 May 2021 – 7 April 2026
Preceded byAngela Burns
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Pembrokeshire County Councillor for Scleddau Ward
In office
5 May 2017 – 5 May 2022
Preceded byOwen Watkin James
Succeeded byWard Abolished
Personal details
Born1991 or 1992 (age 33–34)[1]
PartyWelsh Conservatives
Alma materUniversity of the West of England
Websitewww.samuelkurtz.wales

Samuel Kurtz (usually known as Sam Kurtz) is a Welsh Conservative politician who was Member of the Senedd (MS) for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire from 2021 to 2026. He also previously served as a Pembrokeshire County Councillor from 2017 to 2022, representing Scleddau ward.

While a Member of the Senedd, Kurtz held a number of Shadow Cabinet positions, holding the portfolio for Rural Affairs from 2021 to 2024 and Economy and Energy from 2024 to 2026.[2][3] He retained the portfolio for the Welsh Language for the entirety of his term, except for between April and December 2024.[4]

Personal life and education

[edit]

Kurtz studied for a BA in Politics at the University of the West of England.[5] He grew up on a beef farm.[6]

Prior to his political career, Kurtz worked for the Pembrokeshire Herald and the Western Telegraph.[5]

Political career

[edit]

Kurtz was elected to Pembrokeshire County Council in 2017.[7] He represented Scleddau ward until the 2022 elections.[8] The ward was abolished at this election, and split across the Llanrhian and Bro Gwaun wards.[8][9] He was a press officer for Stephen Crabb in 2020.[10]

Kurtz was selected to replace the outgoing Angela Burns as Welsh Conservative candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire in 2020.[6] Shortly after this, 3 tweets from when he was a student surfaced, in which he described an individual as a "gay boy", said someone "sounds a little gay" and described someone as “bisexual, and looks like shit off of a shoe”.[10][11] Kurtz apologised for the comments.[12][13] He was elected as MS for the constituency at the 2021 Senedd elections, with a majority of 936.[14][15]

From his election until 2024 he was the Welsh Conservatives' Shadow Rural Affairs and Welsh language Minister in the Senedd.[16][17] Kurtz has been the Conservatives' Shadow Minister for Economy and Energy since April 2024.[2][3] In December 2024, the Welsh Language was re-added to his portfolio.[18] He is also a member of two Senedd Committees: the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee and the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee.[5] He is also a member of cross-party groups on armed forces and cadets, beer and pubs, diabetes, digital rights and democracy, fisheries and aquaculture, further education and skills, horseracing, small shops, tourism and welsh wool.[5] He also chairs cross party groupings on rural growth and shooting and conservation.[5]

Kurtz contested the Ceredigion Penfro constituency in the 2026 Senedd election but was not elected.[19][20]

Political views

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Wales and The Constitution

[edit]

Kurtz has backed the increase in size of the Senedd, against his party's policy, although he said this should not happen during a cost of living crisis.[21] He further said that "we need to have a look at how the UK is set up" and described the existing constitutional settlement as "a mish mash".[21]

Agriculture

[edit]

Kurtz opposes the "Family Farms Tax".[22]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ As Shadow Minister for Energy and Economy April - December 2024
  2. ↑ as Shadow Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Davies, Ruth (30 November 2020). "Pembrokeshire County councillor Sam Kurtz of Scleddau is Welsh Conservatives' Senedd candidate". Western Telegraph.
  2. 1 2 Price, Emily (18 April 2024). "Welsh Conservatives reshuffle shadow cabinet". Nation.Cymru. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  3. 1 2 "'Let's get the dragon that is the Welsh economy breathing fire once again!'". Pembroke And Pembroke Dock Observer. 18 April 2024. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  4. ↑ "New Welsh Conservatives leader Darren Millar MS announces shadow cabinet". ITV News. 12 December 2024. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Samuel Kurtz MS". senedd.wales. Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Will Sam be the man for the Senedd?". Western Telegraph. 30 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project - 2017 - Pembrokeshire". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Election Results". www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 March 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  9. ↑ Mosalski, Ruth (21 June 2021). "Members of the Senedd who are also councillors". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  10. 1 2 Shipton, Martin (3 December 2020). "Conservative Senedd candidate apologises for homophobic and misogynistic tweets in student years". Wales Online. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  11. ↑ Shipton, Martin (3 December 2020). "Conservative candidate apologises for homophobic and misogynistic tweets". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  12. ↑ "Tory councillor Sam Kurtz apologises for offensive tweets". Western Telegraph. 3 December 2020. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  13. ↑ "Senedd Tory candidate apologises for offensive tweets". BBC News. 1 December 2020. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  14. ↑ "Carmarthen West & Pembrokeshire South". BBC News. 7 May 2021. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  15. ↑ Jenkins, Katy (7 May 2021). "Senedd 2021: Sam Kurtz, Conservative, takes Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire seat". Western Telegraph. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  16. ↑ "Samuel Kurtz: 'Welsh farmers need a Welsh Government that is going to support the industry' | Farm News | Farmers Guardian". www.farmersguardian.com. 24 November 2023. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  17. ↑ "Samuel Kurtz MS Archives". Institute of Welsh Affairs. 30 September 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  18. ↑ "New Welsh Conservatives leader Darren Millar MS announces shadow cabinet". ITV News. 12 December 2024. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  19. ↑ "Pembrokeshire set to be paired with Ceredigion in new look constituencies". Tenby Observer. 3 September 2024. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  20. ↑ Mosalski, Ruth (8 May 2026). "The 16 politicians who lost their seats at Senedd 2026". Wales Online.
  21. 1 2 "Conservative backs Senedd expansion, against party policy". BBC News. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  22. ↑ Sinclair, Tom (9 September 2025). "Samuel Kurtz calls on new Environment Secretary to back farmers". Retrieved 20 September 2025.
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