Welsh Reform leader Dan Thomas resigns following weekend arrest in fresh blow to Nigel Farage

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 11:40 EDT, 15 September 2026 | Updated: 12:19 EDT, 15 September 2026 Reform UK's leader in Wales quit this afternoon following his arrest on suspicion of assault and coercive behaviour, in a fresh blow to Nigel Farage. Dan Thomas was missing from today’s session of First Minister’s Questions in the Senedd, the Welsh parliament, with a Reform spokesman saying beforehand he would be ‘absent for personal reasons’.In a statement, Mr Thomas said: 'Over the weekend, I was reported to the police and was released without charge. I stress that I have done nothing wrong, but I do not want the coming headlines to be a distraction from the fantastic work our Senedd team is doing in holding this government to account.'This afternoon Gwent Police told the Daily Mail a 45-year-old man from the Aberbargoed area was arrested on Sunday 13 September.While they did not confirm the identity of the arrested man, they added he was taken in ‘on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling/coercive behaviour’.‘He has been bailed pending further enquiries.’ In a statement, Dan Thomas said: 'With deep regret, I am now standing down from this position due to personal reasons' The former Conservative leader of Barnet Council, Wales-born Mr Thomas defected to Reform UK in the summer of 2025Mr Thomas's statement also said: 'I will continue to serve my constituents in Casnewydd Islwyn [Newport and Islwyn] and will fully back whoever the group selects as its next leader.'It has been the honour of my life to have been the leader of Reform Wales and see this party go from zero to 34 elected members and become the largest opposition group in Welsh history. 'With deep regret, I am now standing down from this position due to personal reasons.'Nigel Farage's party is currently under fire over a series of financial stories, most recently after Crypto billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne stunned the political establishment by announcing at the weekend that they would each give Reform £36million – the biggest ever single donations to a British political party. Reform's deputy leader in Wales Helen Jenner, stood in for Mr Thomas to challenge the Plaid Cymru First Minister about yesterday’s event with fellow nationalist leaders from Scotland and Northern Ireland.Mr Thomas was born in South Wales before moving to London for his career, where he climbed the political ladder to become the Conservative leader of Barnet Council between 2019 and 2022.He defected to Reform UK in the summer of 2025, before quitting as a London councillor in December that year and returning to Wales with his family.He told a party event in Newport he had 'fond memories' of growing up in Wales and did not want to leave when he turned 18.'But for many Welshmen and women, good opportunities in Wales are few and far between,' he said.'The well paying jobs and the high flying career paths are simply not there. So I left to build a successful career in financial services in London while serving my new community as a councillor and council leader.’He led Reform to a breakthrough result in Wales, becoming leader of the opposition with 34 Reform MPs.But the party fell short of their stretch goal of taking the Welsh Parliament, with Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth securing the top job.