Reform UK's Dan Thomas has quit as the party's Welsh leader, after he was arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour on Sunday.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqde0xkgpy2xo
Gwent Police said a 45-year-old man from Aberbargoed, in Caerphilly was bailed pending further enquiries.
In a statement issued by his party, Thomas said he was "standing down" from his position due to personal reasons. He said he had been "released without charge".
Thomas was appointed Welsh party leader by Nigel Farage in February.
Thomas said: "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."
Killer Whale wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2026 5:01 pm I'm hearing that a Reform AS has crossed the floor and joined Plaid.ETA:
Huge if true.
A Reform UK Member of the Senedd has defected to Plaid Cymru, accusing her former party of having “no interest” in governing Wales and being more concerned with “division, opposition and headlines”.https://nation.cymru/news/reform-ms-def ... -to-wales/
Sarah Cooper-Lesadd, who represents Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg, announced on Tuesday that she had left Reform and joined Plaid Cymru and its Senedd group.
Her move takes Plaid’s representation in the 96-member Senedd to 44 MSs.
Ms Cooper-Lesadd, who grew up in the care system, said she had entered politics to represent care-experienced people and others she believed were being overlooked.
She said: “Reform has no interest in the work I came here to do. They are not serious about governing Wales. They are far more interested in division, opposition and headlines than in finding solutions.
“There is a real appetite in the group to want the government to fail, and no interest in what that failure would mean for the people we represent.”