GARETH MILES, a founder of the Welsh language society Cymdeithas yr laith Gymraeg, died today aged 85.

The group, which was founded in the 1960s to promote Welsh people’s right to speak, read and live in their own language, said Miles had seen the fight for language rights as part of the broader struggle for social justice. A Marxist, Miles was also at one time chairman of the Communist Party in Wales.

It campaigned using non-violent direct action for people’s right to use the Welsh language at a time this was widely suppressed.