One of Wales’ first Reform UK councillors was accused this morning of trying to rejoin Labour during the last few months.
Torfaen’s Cllr David Thomas, Llantarnam Ward, switched from being an Independent to Reform UK on Monday 19 August 2024, alongside his two fellow ward councillors Alan Slade and Jason O’Connell.
They become the first Reform UK councillors in Wales.
At this morning’s meeting of the full council in the civic centre in Pontypool, a report was presented for councillors to note the formation of the new political group- Reform UK Wales, with Cllr Thomas as the leader.
But Labour’s Cllr Sue Malson, Trevethin & Penygarn, accused Cllr Thomas of spending the “summer” making moves to become a Labour councillor again. He was first elected as a councillor in 2017 while standing for Labour.
She said: “Has Walt Disney been in touch with you [for], the live version of Pinocchio? For months you’ve tried to get into the Labour party. The lies that you’ve spun Labour members is totally unbelievable…So how many times are you going to jump ship? I’m sorry but policies and procedures need to be addressed and looked at because it’s not fair on our residents, it’s not fair at all.
“They vote us for which political party we stand for. And how many times do they have to jump ship? It is not fair on our residents. This is a matter of urgency and needs to be looked at.”
She said she would continue to visit a boxing club in Llantarnam and “work” with Cllr Thomas but added: “I’ll never ever trust you or believe anything that comes out of your mouth because for months and months, you have tried to do your best to get back in the Labour party and you and I had plenty of conversation about it and then all a sudden you’re Reform. Lies.
“That nose is going to get too big. You won’t. get through Welsh Assembly doors. End of.”
Labour’s Councillor Nathan Yeowell, Panteg Ward, “extended” his congratulations to Cllr Thomas for becoming the leader of the new group.
But he then said he wanted to list the political groups that Cllr Thomas has stood for since becoming a Labour councillor in 2015. He said: “Cllr Thomas was first elected as a Labour councillor in 2017, so that’s one. Then he became an Independent. In 2019 you stood as a Brexit Party condition in the general election, that’s three, back to Independent, that’s four. Special guest star with the Tories in 2021. I was Lynne Neagle’s [MS for Torfaen] agent in the Senedd elections and Cllr Thomas was proudly wearing a blue rosette on the night of the count.
“We then had the Independent Independent Group subsequent to the last election when god love you all, the three Independent groups couldn’t get on and we had three of you here.
“Now you’ve gone over to Reform, so that’s seven. As Cllr Malson has set out you [Cllr Thomas] spent much of the early part of summer, asking if members of the Labour group would appreciate it or would we let him come back in? The response to that ultimately was ‘no’.”
Cllr Yeowell said he had to believe or “accept” that those discussions took place in “good faith” and added: “I’d hate to think that Cllr Thomas, at the same time was talking to the Reform party trying to work out what might be in the best personal and political interests for him and his colleagues.”
He added that “it’s your prerogative to change party.”
Cllr Yeowell said that over the last two years, the chamber was “much stronger” when political groups “came together” and gave the examples of Independent Cllr Giles Davies, Abersychan Ward, putting forward a motion for a Pride event.
He said this led to himself and Cllr Richard Clark sharing their personal experiences in the chamber with support of other councillors.
He expressed disappointment that the three councillors had chosen to “chuck their lot” in with Reform UK, a party whose “leaders are under severe questioning about the part they played ” in “stoking or trying to capitalise” on the “rioting”, “racist behaviour”, and “anti-immigration sentiment” during the summer.
He finished by saying that he hoped Labour and Independent councillors would “come together to promote a much more inclusive Torfaen.”
Cllr David Thomas’ reponse
Cllr Thomas didn’t respond to the claim that he tried to rejoin Labour in the summer.
He said: “Had I not been on holiday I would have loved to have been in the council chamber today but after saying that I would just like to thank everybody for their kind remarks this morning and wish everyone all the very best in the future.”