Concerns raised over relationship between Reform Wales and far-right group

Emily Price 

Concerns have been raised about the relationship between a notorious far-right organisation and Reform Wales, following the release of messages exchanged in one of the party’s internal branch group chats.

The text messages published online by a disgruntled former Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Reform board member revealed jokes about slapping a sitting Senedd Member and the spreading of misinformation posted online by the far-right group, Voice of Wales. 

The messages were shared on social media by former Reform UK Senedd hopeful, Ajay Owen.

He left the party last week amid a blazing row over allegations of a “rigged” selection process and the “mistreatment” of members.

Owen has since accused Reform UK of leading a “campaign of hate”.

Publishing the messages on Facebook, he wrote: “I’ve never met people who are so racist, fascist, abusive and oh so limiting on the freedom of speech.”

Although the messages posted online have had names and numbers redacted, Nation.Cymru has seen the unredacted versions.

One screen grab appears to show board members joke about giving Welsh Conservative Senedd Member Sam Kurtz “a slap” at the Pembrokeshire County Show.

Sam Kurtz declined to comment on the screen grab.

Further messages show a branch board member state that Stand Up to Racism campaigners “always look scruffy” with another member of the group chat insinuating that anti-racism protestors take “valium”.

Another screen grab shows board members discussing an online post by Dan Morgan – the co-founder of the far-right group Voice of Wales.

The post included false claims that prominent Stand Up to Racism campaigner, Patrick Connellan, assaulted a child at a Reform event in Carmarthen after his megaphone was stolen.

Mr Connellan has confirmed that the smears being circulated about him online are “completely false”.

He has raised concerns that the relationship between Reform’s representatives in Wales and Voice of Wales have become “frighteningly close”.

Dyfed Powys Police confirmed to Nation.Cymru that no assault was reported at the protest in connection to a child being punched after a megaphone was stolen.

However, the false allegations appeared to be circulated in Reform’s Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion board group chat.

One board member put a love heart emoji on the link to Voice of Wales’ post.

Another board member replied: “There’s are [sic] friend.”

Members of the group then exchanged laughing emojis before one member said: “He assaulted a kid at our event didn’t he? Was that when he was arrested?”

Another member replied, “yes”, and added: “I may have fed this up the line”.

Nation.Cymru understands that the board member had sent the Voice of Wales video on to a Welsh media outlet in the hopes that the allegations were published.

Voice of Wales was banned from YouTube in 2021 and has links with prominent far-right activists, including Stephen Lennon – also known as Tommy Robinson.

The group’s co-founder Dan Morgan was handed a suspended sentence in 2023 for his role in a large-scale scam that stole millions from people who believed they were applying for compensation for mis-sold PPI.

A Reform UK source told us, “any association with Tommy Robinson is prohibited by the party, and he [Robinson] seems to be attached to Voice of Wales.”

Further messages in the Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Reform board group chat appear to show that some members didn’t wish to be publicly linked to a far-right group.

Argument 

An argument broke out in the group chat when former board member Ajay Owen appeared in a news article alongside Voice of Wales co-founder, Dan Morgan.

Morgan and Owen had both circulated material online alleging that children at a Pembrokeshire school had been encouraged to write Valentine cards to adult asylum seekers.

The story was later covered by The Pembrokeshire Herald.

Text messages seen by Nation.Cymru show Reform’s Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Branch Chair Stewart Marchant telling board members the news article was “very embarrassing”.

Another board member responded saying: “We can’t be linked with Voice of Wales as well, being on the same page as Dan Morgan isn’t a good look”.

The argument triggered Ajay Owen to announce he would leave Reform UK and not stand in the upcoming Senedd elections.

‘Really nice’

He told Nation.Cymru: “Dan from Voice of Wales is actually really nice. At the end of the day, everyone has a past – but they [the board] fail to see this.

“I don’t know why I should have to seek approval for my own opinion – freedom of speech is a thing, and I will use it.”

We contacted Reform’s Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion branch and the party’s main comms team and asked them the following questions:

*Concerns have been raised that the relationship between Voice of Wales and Reform in Wales is “frighteningly close”. What does Reform in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion say to that?

*Why have board members been spreading false allegations about an innocent man?

*Why does the board share Dan Morgan’s videos in their group chats?

*Does the board think it’s appropriate to make jokes about assaulting sitting Senedd Members?

We did not receive a response.