Nigel Farage names Helen Jenner as new Reform UK leader in Wales after pedecessor's arrest

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has unveiled Helen Jenner as the party's new leader in Wales on the steps of the Senedd in Cardiff.

The transition follows the sudden resignation of her predecessor, Dan Thomas, who stepped down after being arrested by Gwent Police on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour.

Thomas, who led Reform UK to become the largest opposition group in the Welsh Parliament following the May elections, was released on police bail pending further inquiries.

Back to Reform UK, and these are from Will Hayward, the Welsh politics commentator, on how Helen Jenner was elected as the party’s leader in Wales.

"Reform has a new leader in Wales, but it was far from a unanimous choice.

I understand that there was a vote for either Helen Jenner or Jason O’Connell among Reform Senedd Members."

"In the end Miss Jenner won with 17 votes to Mr O’Connell’s 15."

Multiple sources close to the Reform group have told me that there is a fear “we will be back here in 6 months” with another leadership race...

Last week Reform MS James Evans said he had support of the “majority” of the group to be leader but didn’t want the role.This is not a happy ship."

While maintaining his innocence and noting he was released without formal charges initially, Thomas acknowledged that the situation made his continuation untenable.

Farage downplayed the leadership shake-up as a mere "bump in the road," praising Thomas while endorsing Jenner—a fluent Welsh speaker and Member of the Senedd for Bangor Conwy Môn—as a trusted and determined campaigner.

Jenner won a competitive internal contest among Senedd members to secure the role. Rival parties, including Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru, seized on the controversy to question the party's overall internal stability.

Jenner now faces the immediate challenge of steadying the opposition group and maintaining momentum moving forward.