Reform Senedd Members ‘held alcohol-fuelled party on the Senedd estate’

Martin Shipton

Multiple sources have told Nation.Cymru about an alcohol-fuelled karaoke party held by Reform UK MSs and staff on the Senedd estate immediately before the beginning of the summer recess in July.

According to the sources, security staff were concerned that some intoxicated politicians intended to drive home in the early hours of the following morning, and closed the gate of the members’ car park to stop that happening.

However, although it is understood that a number of news outlets have contacted the Senedd Commission about the party, a Commission spokesperson told Nation.Cymru that there was no record in the estate’s security log of such an incident having taken place on July 15, July 16 or the early hours of July 17.

Senedd Members have 24-hour access to the Senedd estate. As the second largest party with 34 MSs at the time, the Reform group occupies a significant number of rooms in Tŷ Hywel, the office block adjacent to the Senedd itself.

While former Llywydd (Presiding Officer) Rosemary Butler banned the consumption of alcohol at lunchtimes in the members’ tea room in response to the perceived growth of a drinking culture, MSs are able to consume alcoholic drinks in their offices.

A trusted Senedd source told us: “On the night in question, some of the Reform MSs started off having champagne in the office. They then went off to the Dock pub before going for dinner and then came back to the Senedd and drank very heavily.

“Llyr Powell [Reform’s chief whip] wasn’t involved, but [Tory defector and Sir Fynwy Torfaen MS] Laura Anne Jones was, as was [then group leader and Casnewydd Islwyn MS] Dan Thomas and [Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg MS] Gaz Thomas, as well as staffers. Earlier, Dan Thomas had been drinking through the afternoon in the Dock and went back into the Chamber for the Bovine TB debate stinking of alcohol.

He is known to drink on his own in Wetherspoons in Blackwood where he gets involved in arguments with the locals.

“I have been told that the party went on until around 4am and that the security guards had to shut the gate to stop some of them from driving home.”

Another political source said: “Reform has wanted to keep this incident quiet, because it is highly embarrassing for them. It’s also embarrassing for the Senedd as an institution.”

We invited Reform UK, Laura Anne Jones MS, Dan Thomas MS and Gaz Thomas MS to comment, but none of them did so.

Heavy drinking

Suggestions of heavy drinking have long been associated with the parties led by Nigel Farage. During his early years in the European Parliament as a UKIP MEP, the current Reform UK leader developed a reputation for raucous behaviour with party colleagues in the bars of Brussels and Strasbourg.

Politicians from other parties have also got into trouble over alcohol in previous Senedd terms.

The late Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Mick Bates assaulted a paramedic trying to help him after he fell over drunk in a Cardiff steakhouse, while Labour Assembly Member Keith Davies was involved in a drunken rumpus with a woman in the St David’s Hotel in Cardiff Bay.

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