Reform Wales leader slammed for campaigning in Clacton as wildfire gutted homes in his constituency
Emily Price
Reform’s leader in Wales has faced a backlash after offering his “thoughts and prayers” to victims of a wildfire that gutted homes in his constituency, before joining campaigners in Clacton where he said his “focus” was to help Nigel Farage “fight the establishment”.
In a post published to social media on Thursday morning (August 13) Dan Thomas offered his thanks to emergency service workers tackling a massive blaze that destroyed homes in Newbridge.
It came as both South Wales and Mid and West Wales Fire Services declared major incidents amid pressures on them from fires in multiple locations.
Sharing an image of burned out houses in Newbridge to Facebook, Thomas, who is the Member of the Senedd for Casnewydd Islwyn, wrote: “My thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by the fires in Newbridge. Thanks to the emergency services for tackling this.”
Three hours later, Thomas published a video to his social media accounts as he announced he was in Clacton where the Reform group in the Senedd were “out in force to help Nigel win big”.
The by-election was called when Reform UK leader Nigel Farage quit his parliamentary seat, before campaigning against comedy candidate Count Binface to win it back, following questions about a £5 million donation he received from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.
In a video posted to Facebook during the day of the vote, Thomas said: “This election is a fight against the establishment. An establishment that wants to tear Reform down.
“But today we are going to show them what we are made of. I would like to thank all the Reform supporters who have come down today and over the last few weeks.
“A special thank you to those who have come down from Wales. Of course Nigel was a massive help to us in Wales during the Welsh parliament election campaign.
“Now if you live in Clacton and you’ve not voted yet, please go out and vote for Nigel.
“Remind your family and friends today is polling day and we need a good turn out and that’s my focus for the rest of the day, to go out there and help get that big turnout for Nigel.”
Reform’s leader in the Senedd faced criticism over his choice to travel to Clacton while residents in his constituency were facing the devastating impact of a major blaze.
Following Farage’s victory on Friday morning, Mr Thomas shared images of himself and fellow Reform Senedd Members campaigning alongside their party leader.
Captioning the image he wrote: “My thanks to all those from Reform UK Wales who helped Nigel secure such a resounding victory! We met so many committed Reformers from across the UK.”
Reform MSs pictured campaigning in Clacton-on-Sea included Llŷr Powell, Claire Archibald, Helen Jenner, Cai Parry Jones, Joe Martin, Art Wright, Iain McIntosh, Francesca O’Brien, Stephen Senior and Steven Rodaway, as well as Reform’s Head of Wales, Torfaen councillor David Thomas.
Bin
Plaid Cymru Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd MS Rebeca Phillips called out the Reform group for spending their summer recess “campaigning against a bin in Essex” instead of spending time their constituencies, many of which were affected by wildfires.
She said: “When presented with an opportunity to be out in their constituencies over the last few weeks, Reform MSs declined and chose to go over the border to help their struggling boss in Clacton waste hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money on a failed publicity stunt.
“Not only did Nigel Farage spend his summer fighting with an extraterrestrial dustbin, but a gaggle of newly elected Reform MSes decided to abandon their constituents to take part in the farce.
“Whilst Reform UK have ignored Wales, Plaid Cymru MSs have been meeting local people and businesses in constituencies across Wales, we’ve been standing up for communities struggling with wildfires, and we’ve been taking action on the things they care about – proving that Plaid Cymru is the only party that stands up for Wales.”
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth attended a COBR meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Wednesday (August 12) to discuss the impact of Wales’ wildfires. The Welsh Government later requested the Army to provide additional support to firefighters.
Win
Farage secured 22,239 vote, taking 63.34% of the electorate’s support to regain his seat as MP for Clacton.
He was criticised for not attending the count, saying he had been advised by Essex Police not to. The force later disputed this saying they had given no such instruction to any of the by-election candidates.
Plaid Cymru Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni MS Delyth Jewell said Farage had “form” for not attending by-election counts.
In a post to X, she wrote: “Last year, in Caerphilly, he was reportedly waiting in a lay-by outside Machen, ready to descend if Reform won.
“Only, Plaid won, and Farage never showed. But boycotting your own result treats democracy as being somehow optional.”
Welsh Labour activist and policy writer Chris Carter branded Farage a “chicken” and claimed the Reform UK leader “did the same” for the Casnewydd Islwyn count.
Following Farage’s re-election in Clacton the parliamentary standards investigation into the £5 million gift he received from a crypto billionaire resumed.
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This lack of care should be a body blow to his supporters. It won’t be though because they all believe these heatwaves are simply once in a generation freak occurrence. They have forgotten 2022. Heck, they have forgotten what day it was yesterday. It was a Thursday.
Did you vote for this man, more fool you…
Gobby Blinders to a man and woman…
Ealing Studios would have turned the Egg Heads v Establishment into a very funny film with a Dulwich St Trinians for bad boys and the Rev promoted to headmaster encouraging the awful behaviour of his favourite bad boy…played by Terry Thomas
Like the owner of Reform, I doubt Thomas has ever been to his constituency apart from campaigning, and I doubt he holds any meetings for constituents.
Nero fiddling while Rome burns….
He went to campaign against a bin and his boss ran away from the count because farage is a coward and then lied about threats.
Those “ credible threat “ claims are the Reform equivalent of “ the dog ate my homework”.
Farage has history with the truth, or lack of. See brexit.
Thoughts and prays is a very american nonsense. Says enough for me. No substance, just using people to push his crap.
Thomas and his cohorts haven’t won a single election in the Valleys. The latest was the by election in Hengoed last week Plaid got 50 percent of the vote and the Reform woman got exactly the same percentage of the vote as Llyr Powell in Caerphilly last October. It’s Plaid that’s increasing their vote share in the Valleys not the far right English Nationalist Party who’s supporters are mostly the Welsh for 5 Saturdays of the year in February and March brigade
What do you expect from Reform’s Dan Thomas. He’s English and his loyalty is to Nigel Farage.
A big thank you to everyone from Cymru who went the extra mile to ensure the Spiv got re-elected so that the Standards Committee can reopen its investigation.
Fair do’s, it hasn’t hung about, back on the job as soon as the result was announced. Unlike Farage.
Farage on the job. Horrible mental picture, that!
The FargeFest said it all
Held well away from the great unwashed of Clacton
They of course weren’t invited
Complete with Ferris wheel
Th job done,count avoided Victory already being celebrated
Clacton back to being ignored until another election
A self congratualtory mocking event
for a saturation bombing campaign to reel the punters in
Just cannon fodder for Farage’s ego
We paid £250k for the privilege
I do hope all 22.239 of his voters were at his alternative circus event. Any who were not have been immediately spat out by their chosen weirdo not attending the count. Total disdain from a snivelling coward.
The event strategically located away remotely on the fringes to avoid the possibility of any of the great unwashed turning up to salute their hero
Reserved for Reform royalty
Apart from a big Thanks that is the last they will see or hear of him until the next one
Jason O Connell and Cllr David Thomas must have been parked in Clacton for a few days as appeared in several photos with different clothes on
Attending an event which has SFA to do with Wales
The article should also have mentioned that Reform UK denies man-made climate change which is the main reason for the increase in these devastating fires across the globe. They reject the overwhelming scientific evidence for global heating because of their close links to the fossil fuel industry. Their support for Trumpian policies of drill-baby-drill can only result in more burn-baby-burn consequences.
They are bought and paid for. They will never serve the interests of Wales or the UK. Only those that paid for them.
Reform is not a political party, it’s a cult of personality.
A man who abandons his constituents to support a man who abandons his constituents. They dissolve quicker than Clacton candy floss on the tongue.
To be fair, it’s an easier journey from Bath.