Reform UK’s leader in Wales quit this afternoon, in a fresh blow to Nigel Farage.
In a statement, Dan Thomas 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.’
This afternoon Gwent Police told the Daily Mail in a statement that Mr Thomas had been arrested on Sunday on suspicion of assault.
The force confirmed that a 45-year-old man from the Aberbargoed area was arrested on Sunday 13 September.
While they did not confirm the identity of the arrested man, they added he was taken in ‘on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour’.
‘He has been bailed pending further enquiries.’
Mr Thomas was missing from today’s session of First Minister’s Questions in the Senedd, with a Reform spokesman saying beforehand he would be ‘absent for personal reasons’.
His deputy, Helen Jenner, stood in for him to challenge the Plaid Cymru First Minister about yesterday’s event with fellow nationalist leaders from Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Mr Thomas was born in South Wales before moving to London for his career, where he climbed the political ladder to become the Conservative leader of Barnet Council between 2019 and 2022.
He defected to Reform UK in the summer of 2025, before quitting as a London councillor in December that year and returning to Wales with his family.
He told a party event in Newport he had ‘fond memories’ of growing up in Wales and did not want to leave when he turned 18.
‘But for many Welshmen and women, good opportunities in Wales are few and far between,’ he said.
‘The well paying jobs and the high flying career paths are simply not there. So I left to build a successful career in financial services in London while serving my new community as a councillor and council leader.’
He led Reform to a breakthrough result in Wales, becoming leader of the opposition with 34 Reform MPs.
But the party fell short of their stretch goal of taking the Welsh Parliament, with Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth securing the top job.
More to come.
