REFORM UK sprang the first surprise of the 2026 Senedd election campaign, when they unveiled Gwent-born former London Tory councillor Dan Thomas as its new Wales leader.

Nigel Farage was met with loud applause from some 400 party members at Newport’s Celtic Manor ICC convention centre on Thursday.

Brecon and Radnorshire MS James Evans – thrown out of the Conservative group over defection speculation last month – was firstly unveiled as a new recruit to Reform, making him the second Senedd party member after Monmouth-based South Wales East MS Laura Anne Jones, who defected from the Tories last summer.

Mr Farage then announced the party’s leader in Wales would be Blackwood-raised former Barnet Council leader Thomas.

Amid some booing of journalists’ questions by party supporters in the hall, it wasn’t explicitly stated that he’d led a Conservative administration, until its defeat to Labour in 2022 was raised by a reporter, and neither was it stated that he had been a Conservative councillor until last June, 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 were 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 Farage, 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 the latter 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 Q&A with journalists, Mr Thomas said “every single person” he speaks with complains about the lower speed limit.

Challenged on evidence it has reduced injuries and deaths, he said it could be appropriate on certain routes and said it was the “blanket” approach he objected to.

Laura Anne Jones posted after the conference: “Absolutely fantastic to welcome my dear friend, Dan Thomas back to Wales as leader of Reform UK Wales!

“A valleys boy who done good, now returning to his Islwyn roots. He is absolutely the right man to lead us to victory and get Wales thriving again. Wales needs Reform.”

Cwmbran councillor Jason O’Connell, who had been widely tipped to be leader after a string of media appearances, said he didn’t know if he’d been considered for the role, selected by Mr Farage rather than a vote of party members.

But he added: “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.”

Unveiled as a new Reform member, James Evans used his speech to claim the Welsh media was “driven by left-wing activists who pass themselves off as journalists”, albeit not providing any specific evidence.

“Britain is broken, and Wales is broken also. Not under pressure, not challenged, it is fundamentally broken,” he claimed.