 After obtaining a teaching qualification at Bangor Normal College, he taught from 1947 until 1967, when the death of the local MP, Iori Thomas, whose political agent Jones had been, created a vacancy which resulted in his own selection.Jones was Member of Parliament for Rhondda West from the 1967 Rhondda West by-election until the constituency was abolished in 1974, and for Rhondda from 1974 until he died in office shortly before the 1983 general election.He was a junior minister for Social Security from 1974 to 1975 and for Wales from 1975 to 1979.