Restore Britain group ‘likely to be formed at the Senedd with Reform defectors’

Martin Shipton

Political sources believe it is likely that some recently elected Reform UK Senedd Members will defect to Rupert Lowe’s party Restore Britain.

If five of them do so, it’s probable that according to the Senedd standing orders they would be able to form a Restore group.

A source that has been involved with Reform in Wales told Nation.Cymru: “There have already been some murmurings from Reform MSs who are not happy with the way things are going, Some want to take a full part in the Senedd’s business, while others are more interested in using their platform at the Senedd to promote Reform in advance of the next general election.

“There are also different views on the question of mass deportations. Restore is more gung-ho than Reform, which explains why Elon Musk is more sympathetic to Restore than Reform.

“There is a lot of bitterness over the Makerfield by-election, where Reform is losing votes to Restore, making it likely that Andy Burnham will win the seat for Labour and go on to be Prime Minister.

“Rupert Lowe and Nigel Farage hate each other and Rupert would be very happy to stop Reform winning the by-election. If that happens, there will be an even bigger falling-out.”

Restore has already succeeded in getting some Reform councillors to join it. Owain Clatworthy, who was elected to Bridgend council last year in a by-election, left Reform when he objected to candidates being parachuted into constituencies and being given top places on party lists ahead of local activists who had built up the local membership. He was wooed by Restore and now sits as a Restore councillor.

In neighbouring Vale of Glamorgan council, Reform candidate Brandon Dodd won a by-election and later also defected to Restore.

In May’s Senedd election, Reform won 34 seats and became the official opposition to Plaid Cymru’s minority government.

Officially formed

We checked the rules governing political groups to see whether it would be technically feasible for Restore UK to form a group of its own if some Reform MSs defected to it.

In the expanded Senedd, party groups can only be officially formed when at least five MSs join them.

However, there is an expectation that groups should be formed by parties that have won at least one seat in the last Senedd election.

The Senedd’s standing orders state: “For the purposes of the Act [which increased the number of MSs from 60 to 96], a political group is: a group of at least five Members belonging to the same registered political party that won at least one seat at the previous Senedd election; or five or more Members not satisfying the criteria in Standing Order 1.3(i), who have notified the Presiding Officer of their wish to be regarded as a political group, and satisfied the Presiding Officer that exceptional circumstances apply.”

The standing order continues: “The Presiding Officer must issue guidance to Members under Standing Order 6.17 on the interpretation and application of Standing Order 1.3(ii). The Presiding Officer must decide any question as to whether any Member belongs to a political group or as to which political group he or she belongs.”

We asked the Senedd Commission about the latest guidance relating to when “exceptional circumstances” would apply, and whether it would be possible for a group composed of Members who did not stand for election under its banner to be formed.

‘Exceptional circumstances’

A spokesperson for the Senedd Commission told us: “Examples of exceptional circumstances include, but are not limited to, a split in a registered political party, a national crisis, or a major event that changes political affiliations.”

This guidance was issued by the previous Presiding Officer Elin Jones in April 2026, and strongly suggests that a Restore group would be allowed, if at least five Reform MSs defected to it.

As well as speaking rights, the formation of a group leads to additional funding. A group of five MSs would be entitled to claim £300,000 per year to employ group support staff.