REFORM UK sprang the first surprise of the 2026 Senedd election campaign when they unveiled a Gwent-born, former London councillor as its leader in Wales.
Nigel Farage was met with a loud applause from some 400 party members at the ICC convention centre at the Celtic Manor hotel in Newport for a rally where it was widely expected he would announce his pick to lead the party into the Senedd elections.
After former Conservative Senedd Member James Evans, recently thrown out of the party over defection speculation, was unveiled as a new recruit Mr Farage was able to announce the party’s leader in Wales would be former Barnet council leader, Dan Thomas.
While it was made clear Mr Thomas had been a council leader, it wasn’t expcility stated he’d led a Conservative administration, until its defeat to Labour in 2022 was raised by a journalist and neither was it stated Mr Thomas had been a Conservative councillor until June last year, and only recently left the council to return to Wales.
He was described as someone “born in the Valleys” who had to move away at 18 for opportunities. Few details of Mr Thomas background where revealed but he was described as successful in business, which he later described as banking, who also had experience of leading a local authority.
Policies and candidates will, Mr Fargage, said be announced in March but as well as attacking the Welsh Labour Government, he had Plaid Cymru in his sights.
Polls have suggested Reform and Plaid will be battling to form the next Welsh Government but were described by Mr Farage as the party of “looney polices such as 20mph. Which I promise you will be disappearing if we win the election.”
During a question and answer session with journalists Mr Thomas said “every single person” he speaks with complains about the lower speed limit.
In later interviews, Mr Thomas repeated the promise to repeal the policy but challenged on evidence it has reduced injuries and deaths said it could be appropriate on certain routes and said it was the “blanket” approach he objected to but said reversing 20mph as the default limit, rather than 30mph, hadn’t been costed.
Mr Thomas also said he first became interested in politics after standing in a mock election at Blackwood Comprehensive in 1997 for the Conservatives – at a time when Labour won a landslide but said as a 17-year-old he hadn’t given much thought to its promise of establishing a Welsh Assembly which the Tories opposed at the time.
But he insisted he is committed to devolution. He said: “I think we’ve had quite a long time now to look at (devolution) it’s not working in the interests of Wales because of the parties in charge. Devolution can work with the right parties in charge.”
Cwmbran councillor Jason O’Connell, who had been widely tipped after a string of media appearances and a prominent role in a party political broadcast, was in attendance but was clear with anyone who asked that he wasn’t going to be announced as leader.
The Torfaen Borough councillor repeated his phrase about being “flattered” to be linked with the leadership role but said he didn’t know if he’d been considered for the role, selected by Mr Farage rather than a vote of party members, or if he will be a candidate at May’s election.
He said: “I don’t know. I’ve put my name forward (to be a candidate). I’m delighted with Dan as leader and we’ve selected the right man to lead the party. He’s experienced in local government and business, he has the right mix and we’re thrilled to have him.”