[1] Huw Thomas was born in Aberystwyth in 1985 and attended local schools before studying Music at Oxford University and a Masters in International Relations at Aberystwyth University After graduating he worked in the third sector in Cardiff, including for Sustrans[2] and as Head of Christian Aid Wales.
[9] He also worked towards bids for Cardiff to host the Euro 2020 football tournament[10][11] and the 2026 Commonwealth Games,[12] and secured the 2018 Volvo Ocean Race.
[15] However, the council's legal team decided that Thomas' role for Sustrans constituted a conflict of interest, and he was therefore moved three days later to hold the portfolio for Adult Services.
[16] In February 2014[17] Thomas was selected as the Welsh Labour candidate to contest Ceredigion in the 2015 General Election where he finished fifth with 9.7% of the vote.
"[19] It emerged during the campaign that as a student he had suggested to friends in Wales via an online forum that cars flying the English Flag during the 2006 World Cup could be vandalised with tippex whilst simultaneously suggesting that those who flew them were a "simpleton" or a "casual racist".