Reform UK Wales leader stands down after arrest

Nation.Cymru staff/agencies

Reform UK’s leader in Wales has stood down after being arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour.

Dan Thomas said he was leaving the leadership for “personal reasons” but would remain a Member of the Senedd and continue to represent Casnewydd Islwyn.

Gwent Police said a 45-year-old man from the Aberbargoed area was arrested on Sunday, September 13, on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour.

He has been released on bail pending further enquiries.

Mr Thomas, who was appointed Reform’s Welsh leader in February, led the party into May’s Senedd election, when it won 34 seats to become the largest opposition group.

Announcing his decision on Tuesday, 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.”

Gwent Police said: “On Sunday 13 September a 45-year-old man, from the Aberbargoed area, was arrested on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour. He has been bailed pending further enquiries.”

Mr Thomas was unveiled as Reform’s Welsh leader by Nigel Farage at an event in Newport on February 5, just three months before the Senedd election.

Born and raised in Blackwood in the South Wales Valleys, he had previously spent much of his political career in London.

He served as a Conservative councillor in Barnet and led the council’s Conservative administration from 2019 until 2022.

Mr Thomas joined Reform UK in June 2025 before standing down as a councillor for Finchley Church End in December.

He had also previously stood for the Welsh Conservatives in Islwyn at the 2010 and 2017 general elections, finishing second on both occasions.

At his launch as Reform’s Welsh leader, Mr Thomas said he had returned to Wales after 27 years and pledged that the party would fight to win the Senedd election.

He said at the time: “We are at a turning point. We either settle for another four years of the same or we break the mould, start again and fulfil our potential. Wales is broken. Wales needs reform.”

Mr Farage said he had chosen Mr Thomas because he was “decent” and “respectable” as well as “battle hardened” from his experience in local government.

Reform went on to win 29.3% of the vote at the May 7 election, securing 34 of the Senedd’s 96 seats and becoming the second-largest party behind Plaid Cymru.

A Reform UK source told Nation.Cymru: ‘’Dan came from nowhere having been a Tory County Councillor until well after the last Westminster election, and brought all sorts of baggage from his days leading a London Council.

“Bizarre he was ever appointed to begin with but HQ’s Matt Mackinnon wanted one of his friends to control everything. This is how London-run Reform UK Wales ends, disaster decision after disaster decision expect much more to come.”

Mims Davies MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Wales said: “The dire state Reform in the Senedd finds itself in should be another warning of what could lie ahead if they were ever entrusted to run the national government.

“Dan Thomas MS was hand-picked by Nigel Farage MP to lead his party in Wales, yet within months their leader has had to stand down.

“Reform are hitting the news for all the wrong reasons – massive crypto donations, on top of the jailing of Nathan Gill for pro-Russian bribery.

“All this raises serious and deep questions about Reform’s judgement and leadership at every level.”

Reacting to Mr Thomas’ announcement, Ken Skates, leader of Welsh Labour, told the Press Association: “This is quite incredible news and many questions will need to be answered.

“Dan Thomas was a personal pick by Nigel Farage and this will surely demonstrate the appalling judgment of the Reform UK leader.”

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