Helen Jenner Takes Over Reform Wales After One Leader Was Arrested and Another Jailed for Russian Bribes - Reform Watch

Jenner, the Senedd member for Bangor Conwy Môn and Thomas’s former deputy, was elected by Reform’s Senedd group after defeating Jason O’Connell, whose candidacy had not been expected. Farage described her as a “determined campaigner” whom he had known for many years. Her appointment follows the abrupt departure of Dan Thomas, who resigned as Welsh leader after being arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour. He was released on bail without charge pending further investigation, denies wrongdoing and remains a Reform member of the Senedd. Farage accepted that Thomas’s leadership had become untenable, while dismissing the episode as a “bump in the road”. The language betrays a remarkable casualness about the circumstances surrounding his chosen leader’s departure. It also ignores the wider record of Reform’s leadership in Wales. Nathan Gill, who led Reform UK in Wales for six weeks in 2021, is serving a sentence of ten and a half years after admitting eight bribery offences. He accepted at least £40,000 in return for making statements intended to benefit Russia while serving as a member of the European Parliament. Gill delivered those statements in the European Parliament and through pro-Russian media outlets after receiving instructions from a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian politician. The Old Bailey sentenced him in November 2025. Jenner also takes control days after Sarah Cooper-Lesadd defected from Reform to Plaid Cymru with a devastating assessment of the party. Cooper-Lesadd said Reform had “no interest” in the work she entered politics to pursue, accused it of preferring division and headlines to governing, and described its Senedd group as a staging post for Farage’s pursuit of Downing Street. Farage wants Jenner’s appointment to close another damaging episode. Instead, it draws attention to the judgement behind Reform’s Welsh leadership. One former leader is imprisoned for accepting pro-Russian bribes, his successor has resigned following an arrest, and a Senedd member has walked out while accusing the party of indifference towards Wales. Jenner inherits an official opposition in turmoil, burdened by the consequences of the people Farage placed in charge.