Editing Saunders Lewis (section)

==University of Wales by-election, 1943==
Prior to 1950, universities could elect and return representatives to the House of Commons. The University of Wales seat had become vacant when the constituency's [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] Member of Parliament, [[Ernest Evans (politician)|Ernest Evans]], had been appointed a [[County Court (England and Wales)|county court]] judge in 1942. Lewis was selected to contest the seat for Plaid Cymru in the ensuing [[1943 University of Wales by-election]].

His opponent was former Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru Deputy Vice-president [[William John Gruffydd]]. Gruffydd had been voicing doubts about Lewis's ideas since 1933,<ref name="Davies_610">{{harvp|Davies|1994a|p=610}}</ref> and by 1943 he had left Plaid Cymru and joined the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal Party]]. His other opponent, independent candidate [[Alun Talfan Davies]], was another former member of Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru who would later become Chairman of the [[Welsh Liberal Party]].

The "brilliant but wayward" Gruffydd was a favorite with Welsh-speaking intellectuals and drew 52.3% of the vote, to Lewis's 22.5%.<ref name="Davies_610" />

The election effectively split the Welsh-speaking intelligentsia, and left Lewis embittered with politics, leading him to retreat from direct political involvement.<ref name="Davies_611">{{harvp|Davies|1994a|p=611}}</ref> However the experience proved invaluable for Plaid Cymru, as "for the first time they were taken seriously as a political force."<ref name="Davies_611" /> The by-election campaign led directly to "considerable growth" in the party's membership.<ref name="Davies_611" />