Reform’s leader in Wales resigns after arrest for assault

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!Dan Thomas was named Welsh leader in February and led the party to become Wales's second-largest Dan Thomas was named Welsh leader in February and led the party to become Wales’s second-largest Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire Telegraph Reporters Published 15 September 2026 4:57pm BST Reform UK’s leader in Wales has stepped down after being arrested by police on suspicion of assault at the weekend. Dan Thomas was named Welsh leader in February and led Reform to become the second-largest party in the Senedd at an election in May. In a statement, he 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.” In a statement, Gwent police said: “On Sunday, Sept 13, 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 inquiries.” On the same day as Mr Thomas’s arrest, a Reform UK member of the Senedd defected to Plaid Cymru, saying that the party “has no interest in Wales”. Mr Thomas’s arrest is the latest in a string of scandals that has embroiled the party in recent months. A Channel 4 investigation published earlier this month, which prompted a criminal inquiry, claimed Reform had commissioned polling paid for by an overseas company. Two senior aides stepped down after the investigation was released. The party is facing a further police investigation into the source of £1.5m in donations, and a parliamentary investigation into whether Mr Farage should have declared a £5m gift received from Christopher Harborne. Compelled to defect Sarah Cooper-Lesadd, elected for the Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg constituency in May 2026, said in a statement that she was compelled to defect after Reform’s party conference. She said: “[Reform’s] Senedd group is a staging post in the effort to get Nigel Farage into Downing Street, and that was glaringly obvious at its conference this week.” She added: “They are not serious about governing Wales. They are far more interested in division, opposition and headlines than in finding solutions.” Mims Davies, MP, Shadow Welsh Secretary, said: “The dire state 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.” Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds, MS, said: “The wheels are rapidly coming off Reform in Wales and the entire country. “Just months after they claimed they were ready to govern, one of their own frontbenchers has delivered a damning verdict that Reform aren’t serious about governing Wales and are more interested in division and headlines than actually improving people’s lives. “Wales deserves better than the chaos and constant scandal engulfing Reform.” Advertisement More stories Passenger ‘killed Tube worker with one punch after missing train’ !Image of Passenger ‘killed Tube worker with one punch after missing train’ First UK lawyer struck off for misuse of AI !Image of First UK lawyer struck off for misuse of AI Man strangled wife in drunken row at Sandbanks home, court hears !Image of Man strangled wife in drunken row at Sandbanks home, court hears She wrote the song that defined the Sixties – but was erased from history !Image of She wrote the song that defined the Sixties – but was erased from history Jewish schoolboys ‘slapped’ on London bus !Image of Jewish schoolboys ‘slapped’ on London bus Andy Burnham may be on the verge of a debt crisis !Image of Andy Burnham may be on the verge of a debt crisis More from News Melania Trump urges pupils to embrace AI as extinction warnings grow !Melania Trump said that if children created something great they should 'bring it to the White House to show me' Mayors to control water companies !Thames Water staff assess damage in Dulwich, London Army officers ‘tried to cover up sexual assault of recruit who killed herself’ !Gunner Jaysley Beck Reform admits it will take five years for Farage to fix UK borders !Nigel Farage has pledged to stop the small boat crossings within the first 100 days of a Reform government Whisky-loving MPs turn bitter over English malt’s shot in the arm !A man holds up a glass of whisky * Thirlwall cost millions but ignored the biggest Letby question of all !Protesters holding up signs calling for Lucy Letby to be freed

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