‘Leading from the front’: Reform MS forgets who’s in charge in Wales
Nation Cymru staff
A Reform MS’s ‘view from the Senedd’ opinion piece published yesterday has praised the “superb speech” of Dan Thomas at Reform’s recent political conference – referring to the controversial figure as “our Welsh leader”.
In her most recent column for the Abergavenny Chronicle, where “Laura Anne Jones MS discusses the latest news from the Senedd”, the former Tory MS seemingly overlooked the fact that Dan Thomas quit as the party’s Welsh leader after he was arrested in mid-September on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour.
Reform UK named Helen Jenner its new leader in Wales after the arrest and resignation of her predecessor on 21 September, with former deputy leader Ms Jenner, Member of the Senedd for Bangor Conwy Mon, replacing Dan Thomas.
Mr Thomas had been named the party’s Welsh leader in February and led Reform to become the second largest in the Welsh Parliament at an election in May.
Gwent Police confirmed it had bailed the Reform politician while it carried out further enquiries.
In her piece written for the Chronicle, published on Saturday 10 October, Laura Anne Jones MS shares: “There are political conferences, and then there are gatherings which feel like the beginning of something. Our Reform conference in Birmingham was emphatically the latter. Packed halls, energy that was palpable and thousands and thousands of people united by the belief that Britain is broken and needs serious change, and that Reform is the only Party that can be trusted to deliver that.
“Dan Thomas, our Welsh leader, delivered a superb speech and made clear that, here in Wales, Reform is already leading from the front. After our historic Senedd breakthrough, we are not there merely to make up the numbers or provide decorative opposition. As the largest and most effective opposition in the Senedd’s history, Reform are there to expose the failures of a socialist Plaid Cymru government, to offer alternatives and to fight for the people ignored by Cardiff Bay for decades, whilst preparing for government in the future.
“That seriousness ran through Reform UKs plan for its first 100 days in power. It is ambitious because the country’s problems are enormous, but realistic because every proposal is rooted in one simple concept: common sense. From borders and policing to tax, energy, education and the NHS, this is a programme for action—not some glossy booklet destined to spend eternity beneath a ministerial coffee cup. Jordan Bardella’s speech was another highlight. He and Nigel Farage signed a memorandum of understanding committing Reform and France’s National Rally to work together against illegal Channel crossings if both succeed in being their respective country’s next Prime Minister.
“Britain and France have spent years producing excuses, while criminal gangs produce more and more boats. Two determined leaders, who together will achieve the immediate stop to the invasion of our shores and dismantle the trade behind it. For me, rural Britain must also remain central to national renewal. Dairy prices are soaring for families while farmers struggle to receive a fair return. That is quite an achievement—even by government standards: making food dearer while impoverishing the people who produce it. This is the sad reality of being Farmer under left wing governments at both ends of the M4. Here In Wales, bad agricultural policy helped make this summer’s wildfire crisis worse.”
“Deep regret”
Thomas maintains that he has done nothing wrong and remains a Reform UK Member of the Senedd for Casnewydd Islwyn.
In a statement following his arrest, Mr Thomas said: “It has been the honour of my life to have been the leader of Reform Wales and see this party go from zero to 34 elected members and become the largest opposition group in Welsh history.
“With deep regret, I am now standing down from this position due to personal reasons.
“Over the weekend, I was reported to the police and was released without charge.
“I stress that I have done nothing wrong, but I do not want the coming headlines to be a distraction from the fantastic work our Senedd team is doing in holding this Government to account.
“I will continue to serve my constituents in Casnewydd Islwyn and will fully back whoever the group selects as its next leader.”
Speaking on the steps of the Senedd, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he thought Mr Thomas had been doing a “brilliant job”.
“I am sorry for his personal difficulties that he’s going through,” he added.
“No-one’s life is ever seamless and I am quite sure he will come out of these before too long.
“But it was pretty much untenable for him to continue as leader.”
Speaking to reporters, he added: “(Mr Thomas) had my support from the start, I think he’s a very competent man.
“I think he was a good leader of this group, I know they’re pretty gutted collectively.”
He added that he had spoken to Mr Thomas “at length” and said: “I still believe in him in every way.”
Mr Farage said of Ms Jenner: “I’ve known Helen for many, many years.
“She’s a determined campaigner, someone that I trust, and I think’s going to do a very, very good job.”
Ms Jenner told the Press Association: “It’s not an ideal situation, in the sense that I didn’t expect Dan Thomas to stand down, we were a good team.
“I was enjoying being deputy but it’s always a sense of duty, and I’m quite happy to have stepped up, it’s quite surreal.
“I feel like everybody’s uniting behind me, and we can carry on and get a great job done.”
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Get more trusted Welsh news
Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.
Further proof how behind the times Reform are! Which of her publicly funded staff will be held responsible for this farce?
Was that the same conference she lauds in Birmingham where her party owner egged on the people violently attacking a woman? He also joked about it. Does Jones show any concerns for the woman attacked? One councillor identified was using a metal rod. Another on the video was seen to put the boot in on the vicious attack.
Not surprising she forgot her leader’s name.
Oh yeah, and Reform aligns with trump. Trump has now aligned with Russia. Pretty much that is where reform are now. Along with the Tory party (I expect a lot of awkward phone calls to sort both positions but Kemi and Nige wanted to go to war with Trump and Nige saw Trump as a world peace maker…..).
“Apart from hydrogen, the most common thing in the universe is stupidity.” – Harlan Ellison
If reform’s sound-bite antics represent serious opposition, then god help us all.
The really scary thought is that this crowd could now be running the country had it not been for Plaid Cymru!
What a load of ill informed drivel. Another day another Reform idiot.
It was indeed a ‘gathering’. A huge boil on the butt of humanity in need of lancing. A gathering where at least two human females were beaten, dragged and physically abused and not a word in condemnation of it from this drivel pump.
30p called for the bloke that beat the woman to get a new stick. Jenrick wants the man that beat the woman to get a medal.
They are a total brain sickness. I can remember a time when we used to condemn school bullying, football hooliganism, racism and general hate driven thuggery. Now we have to accept it as global policy. The only area in which i describe myself as a ‘regressive’ is in regard to holding on to past values which steadfastly reject all of the above.
It won’t be the first or last controversy involving UKIP/Abolish/Conservative/Reform staffer Zak Weaver and his use of public resources.
I would not be surprised if Weaver is the source of this story. Embarassing fellow Reform ghost writing staff who he sees as a threat. He does not write articles of that length and has a habit of grassing colleagues, rather than solving problems. Does he think he is going to be replaced by Helen Jenner’s English learners from China? It is not as though Millar or TC or RJ will welcome him back if Reform oust him…
Was this a genuine mistake by Laura Anne Jones or, much like James Evans’ divisive comments following Helen Jenner’s leadership victory, was it another chance to undermine their new leader?
If she is this incompetent, should she still be an MS?
That’d be one for the voters to decide, they’re the ones which count at day’s end.
In that light, it was encouraging to see Reform UK come a poor fourth in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election last week with just 5.9% of the vote.
I didn’t hear them speak up to acknowledge their ‘fabulous’ showing. Just defaulted back to ‘did not respond’ mode i suppose. A bit like Caerffili last October.
Doesn’t Laura remember that she was a Tory when they were in power in London. Maybe they should have some responsibility for the boat and dairy situation. Nah. No chance of that happening.
No need to remember. She IS a Tory. Toryform are one and the same.