Welsh-speaking Richards was educated at Llandovery College and at Swansea University where he gained a first class honours degree in economics and statistics.

[1] At the 1997 general election, Richards stood for re-election in the successor constituency of Clwyd West, but lost to Gareth Thomas of the Labour Party.

He made several attempted Parliamentary comebacks, but failed to secure the nomination for Clwyd West ahead of the May 2001 general election,[3] and was reported to be looking at several 'safe' conservative seats in England.

Richards had the party whip withdrawn from him following his decision to abstain rather than vote with his fellow Conservatives against the Assembly's budget at the end of 1999.

[7] Once Bourne had been appointed party leader by William Hague, he refused to give Richards a portfolio in his 25 August reshuffle, leaving him as the only Welsh Conservative backbencher.

[citation needed] In 1999, while Welsh Conservative leader, Richards was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on a young woman but was acquitted after trial.

[1] At the High Court in London in February 2003, Richards was declared bankrupt with debts estimated at more than £300,000, which he linked to alcoholism.

Richards became angry when the councillor, who was canvassing door-to-door, told him he hadn't been sent promotional literature as he was already listed as a prominent party member.

When later asked about the incident, Richards said that he gave the young councillor, who was "half his age and twice his size", a "clip around the ear" for "being cheeky".