Reform UK Names Ex-Barnet Tory Dan Thomas as Wales Leader 

Key Points

• Dan Thomas, former Conservative leader of Barnet council in north London, appointed as Reform UK’s leader in Wales by Nigel Farage.
• Announcement made at a sold-out rally at the International Convention Centre near Newport, Wales, on Thursday morning.
• Rally drew a standing ovation for Farage; journalists faced jeering and booing during the media conference.
• Senedd elections approach in three months, where Reform UK could potentially win the most seats.
• Thomas led Barnet council from 2019 to 2022, lost to Labour, defected to Reform last summer, and stood down as councillor for Finchley Church End in December to return to Blackwood, south Wales.
• Farage praised Thomas as “battle hardened,” citing his council experience and love for Wales.
• James Evans, Senedd member for Brecon and Radnorshire, introduced as newest Conservative defector to Reform; sacked by Tories last month over suspicions of joining Reform.
• Evans’s defector brings Reform MSs in Senedd to two, following Laura Anne Jones’s departure last July.
• Reform support surged amid Welsh Labour’s 26-year incumbency struggles, but recent polling shows drop from 29% to 23%.
• At 23%, Reform could still gain 21 more MSs to reach 23 total, first rightwing party with such chance since 1850s.
• Farage grants Thomas “full autonomy” on Welsh policy, especially devolved issues like NHS.
• Reform to announce Senedd list candidates in early March, field nearly 100 candidates across 16 new constituencies.
• Thomas promises “positive, ambitious” manifesto soon; pledges to fight for every vote to “smash Labour’s failing grip.”
• Party policies include abolishing 20mph urban speed limits, reopening coalmines, restarting Port Talbot steelworks blast furnaces (criticised as “technically impossible”).
• Historical context: Farage’s UKIP won seven seats via regional lists in 2016.

Newport, WalesReform UKNigel Farage unveils Dan Thomas, ex-Barnet Tory leader, as Welsh head ahead of Senedd vote (North London News) February 6, 2026 – Dan Thomas, the former Conservative leader of Barnet council in north London, has been unveiled by Nigel Farage as Reform UK’s new leader in Wales, just three months before Senedd elections where the party eyes major gains.​

The announcement came at a packed rally at the International Convention Centre near Newport, where Farage received a rapturous standing ovation before introducing Thomas. Journalists endured jeers and boos at the subsequent media conference, underscoring tensions around the event.

Thomas, who helmed Barnet council from 2019 until Labour seized control in 2022, defected to Reform UK last summer. He stepped down in December as councillor for Finchley Church End – once Margaret Thatcher’s longtime seat – to relocate to his Blackwood hometown in south Wales valleys.

Who is Dan Thomas and Why Was He Chosen?

Nigel Farage explained his pick amid questions over distancing from ex-Welsh leader Nathan Gill, jailed for bribery-linked pro-Russia statements in European Parliament. As reported in The Guardian, Farage stated:

“Why did I pick Dan? He tells a story of someone who had to go away but loves Wales so much he wants his own children to grow up in a similar environment.

And above all, because he’s battle hardened … Running budgets and facing opposition to development and many other things, and I think Reform UK here in Wales deserves to be led by somebody who’s been there before and will keep a calm head through the good and bad.”​

Thomas himself vowed aggressive campaigning.

“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to smash Labour’s failing grip in Wales … I will pour my heart and soul into fighting for every vote. We’re fighting to win because this is the last chance for Wales. We are at a turning point,”

he declared at the rally.​

Farage highlighted Thomas’s council tenure as key preparation for Welsh challenges, positioning him as a steady hand for Reform’s ambitions.

What Happened Before the Announcement?

Prior to unveiling Thomas, Farage spotlighted James Evans, Senedd member for Brecon and Radnorshire, as Reform’s latest Tory defector. Evans was sacked by Conservatives last month amid suspicions he planned to jump ship; he has since sat independent.​

Evans joins Laura Anne Jones, who quit Tories for Reform last July as South Wales East MS. This elevates Reform’s Senedd presence to two MSs, building momentum.

The rally’s electric atmosphere reflected Reform’s rising traction, with Farage basking in crowd adulation before key reveals.

How Does Reform UK Stand in Polls Ahead of Senedd Elections?

Reform UK has capitalised on Welsh Labour’s 26-year rule fatigue and Westminster unpopularity. Support surged over the past year, peaking at 29% in recent polling, though latest figures show a dip to 23%.​

Even at 23%, analysts project Reform could balloon from two to 23 MSs under new voting system, marking the first rightwing party shot at dominance in Wales since the 1850s. Farage’s UKIP famously nabbed seven seats via 2016 regional lists, proving his prior Welsh breakthroughs.

Thomas affirmed a “positive, ambitious” manifesto launch soon, urging voters to seize the “turning point.”

What Autonomy Will Thomas Have on Policy?

Farage pledged Thomas “full autonomy” on Welsh matters, admitting his own limits. “I wouldn’t even pretend to know what needed to happen within the failing NHS in Wales. When it comes to national policy, if we have a disagreement … [We will come to] a conclusion and work it out,” Farage said.​

This devolution nod covers thorny devolved issues like health, contrasting Reform’s centralised image.

When and How Will Reform Field Candidates?

Senedd list candidates drop in first half of March, Farage announced. The party plans nearly 100 hopefuls across 16 new constituencies under revamped system.​

This broad slate signals all-out push, leveraging fresh boundaries for gains.

What Are Reform UK’s Key Welsh Policies?

Policies remain sparse but pointed. Reform vows to scrap Welsh government’s 20mph urban speed limits, reiterated Thursday.​

Farage pushes reopening coalmines and firing up Port Talbot steelworks blast furnaces, despite BBC critique labelling it “technically impossible.” (Note: BBC article linked in source as https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87jnndw7nqo.)[2]​

Thomas champions these as lifelines for valleys communities, tying to his Blackwood roots.

Why the Journalist Backlash at the Rally?

Media faced hostility post-rally. Journalists were “jeered and booed” during conference, highlighting populist strains in Reform events.​

Such scenes echo Farage’s anti-establishment rallies, energising base while alienating press.

What is Thomas’s North London Legacy?

In Barnet, Thomas navigated budgets, development rows from 2019-2022. Labour’s 2022 takeover ended his run, but honed skills Farage prizes as “battle hardened.”​

Finchley Church End tenure linked him to Thatcher heartland, now traded for Welsh valleys fight.

How Does This Fit Reform’s Broader Strategy?

Appointment blends outsider appeal with proven governance. Farage’s Wales focus recalls UKIP successes, amid national post-election repositioning.

Evans and Jones defections swell Senedd footprint, pressuring Tories further.

Broader Context: Welsh Politics in Flux

Labour’s long grip wobbles under Westminster baggage. Reform’s surge exploits this, polling edge over rivals despite dip.

Senedd’s new map and lists favour nimble parties like Reform, per projections.

Thomas’s London-to-Wales arc personalises narrative: ex-Tory returning home to “save” it.

Farage’s rally star power, policy teases, defector reveals craft a high-stakes launch. With elections looming, Reform bets Thomas delivers.