 He became Member of Parliament for Merioneth at the 1966 general election, and became Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Wales, Cledwyn Hughes.He increased his majority in 1970 despite a strong challenge by future Plaid Cymru leader Dafydd Wigley.He became a front-bench spokesman on Welsh affairs, in a team headed by George Thomas, but was sacked in 1972 over his support for entry into the European Economic Community.