Leader of Reform UK in Wales stands down after arrest on suspicion of assault

The leader of Reform UK in Wales is standing down after he was arrested and bailed on suspicion of assault. Dan Thomas, a former Tory councillor, had only been announced as Reform UK’s Welsh leader by Nigel Farage in February. He was elected to the Senedd as leader of the opposition in May’s election to the Welsh parliament, when Reform UK emerged as the second largest party. However, it emerged on Tuesday that Thomas would not be taking part in questions for the first minister of Wales at the Welsh parliament on Tuesday. Reform said he was absent for “personal reasons”. In a statement later on Tuesday afternoon Thomas said: “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.” Reform UK had maintained a silence despite repeated approaches over the course of Tuesday by media organisations including the Guardian. Eyebrows had been raised on Monday when Thomas was notably quiet when it came to commenting on the meeting of the nationalist first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, who had declared that “Westminster’s time is coming to an end”. Thomas is the former leader of Barnet council in north London, but is originally from Blackwood, Caerphilly. In a statement, Gwent police said: “On Sunday 13 September a 45-year-old man, from the Aberbargoed area, was arrested on suspicion of assault … He has been bailed pending further inquiries.” The loss of Thomas comes as a major blow to Reform, which has poured major resources into Wales, which it views as a place where further inroads could be made, particularly in traditional Labour strongholds. However, the perception of Thomas as a figure who was parachuted in by Reform headquarters has caused tensions. Previously, he led Barnet council between 2019 and 2022, when the north London council was seized by Labour, and defected to Farage’s Reform party last summer. He stood down in December as a councillor for Finchley Church End – long synonymous with Margaret Thatcher – to move back to his south Wales valleys home town, Blackwood. Reform party won 34 seats at the expense of Labour and the Conservatives in the newly expanded 96-seat chamber of the Welsh parliament, behind only the largest party, Plaid Cymru. Explore more on these topics UK news Wales news Share Reuse this content