Senedd Member Laura Anne Jones has been selected by Reform UK as its lead candidate in the Sir Fynwy Torfaen constituency for the forthcoming Senedd elections in May.

Announcing the list, Dan Thomas, Leader of Reform Wales, said: “We’re proud to unveil a full slate of candidates for the Senedd Election.

“After a hundred years of failure, Labour are finished in Wales. The choice at this election is what comes next. Common sense and a fresh start with Reform, or independence by stealth with Plaid Cymru.”

Laura Anne Jones said, “It is a huge honour and privilege to have been chosen to be the lead candidate and represent Reform UK Wales in my home of Monmouthshire and Torfaen - Sir Fynwy Torfaen

I, alongside a very strong team of candidates - huge congratulations to our Sir Fynwy Torfaen Reform UK Team - Stephen Senior, Bob Blacker, David Rowlands, Mark Urrutia, Gerard Hancock - and a strong Branch, look forward to leading us to victory here in Monmouthshire and Torfaen, in this pivotal, historical election.

It is clear this is a two-horse race between Reform and Plaid and people have to decide whether they want an anti-motorist, anti-women pro-immigration Plaid Cymru Party that want is to break away from the UK, or a Reform Party that will put family, community and country at the heart of everything we do, putting Welsh families first, providing jobs, a decent education for all and opportunities here in Wales, reforming our failing NHS - not privatising it, and making Wales thrive again.”

Plaid Cymru responded to the list annoucement by accusing Reform of parachuting candidates into Welsh communities.

“Reform's parade of ex-Tories parachuted into communities across Wales, announced mere weeks from the election, shows how unserious Reform UK are about Wales - showing a clear disrespect to the Welsh communities they’re seeking to represent,” said a Plaid spokesman.

"The greatest hits of this candidate list makes great reading. Llyr Powell who was rejected by the people of Caerffili, ex-UKIP and ex-Tory Mark Reckless who has finally decided on a political party, and Laura Ann Jones - an MS banned from the Senedd for racism.

"Farage's stockpile of parachutes must be running low, with councillors from Anglesey, Penarth and Torfaen flown into constituencies miles away from the wards they currently represent.

"This is the team Reform UK in London has chosen - with their focus clearly on getting Farage into number 10 rather than on Wales.

"Reform care so little about Wales that they couldn't even bring themselves to use the correct names for our constituencies, but that is no surprise considering Reform UK see Welsh as a 'foreign' language.

“The devastation Reform will cause to our communities is as clear as day: tax cuts at the expense of public services, stirring division in our communities, privatising the NHS, and rowing back years of hard work to protect our Welsh language.

"They aren’t anywhere fit to being in power. The only way to stop Reform’s chaos and their damaging policies is to vote Plaid Cymru on May 7."