Dan Thomas
Reform UK's Wales spokesperson, appearing in the Senedd leaders debates ahead of 7 May 2026.
Last refreshed: 26 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can a recently returned former Tory convince Welsh voters that Reform UK represents their interests?
Timeline for Dan Thomas
Mentioned in: Welsh Labour at 12%, lowest since 1906
UK Local Elections 2026Defended Reform's immigration position as voicing public concerns
UK Local Elections 2026: Welsh leaders debates expose immigration paradox- Who is Dan Thomas Reform UK Wales?
- Dan Thomas is Reform UK's Wales spokesperson and 2026 Senedd candidate, who represented the party in the BBC One Wales and S4C leaders debates before the 7 May election.
- What happened at the Welsh leaders debate in 2026?
- The BBC One Wales and S4C leaders debates in April 2026 highlighted Reform UK's immigration paradox: the party campaigns on lower immigration in a region reliant on migrant care workers. The exchanges exposed internal tensions in Reform UK's Welsh position.Source: Lowdown
- Who is Dan Thomas and why is he leading Reform UK in Wales?
- Dan Thomas is a former Conservative councillor and council leader in Barnet who defected to Reform UK in June 2025. He was appointed Leader of Reform UK Wales on 5 February 2026 to front the party's Senedd campaign.Source: Wikipedia
- How did Reform UK perform in the 2026 Senedd election debates?
- Dan Thomas represented Reform UK in the ITV Cymru Wales and BBC One Wales debates. The party's anti-immigration stance was challenged, highlighting tensions with the care sector's reliance on migrant workers in Wales.Source: Lowdown
- How many Senedd seats does Reform UK project to win in 2026?
- Reform UK is polling at approximately 27-30% in Welsh Senedd voting intention, projecting around 30 seats under the new Closed-list proportional representation system.Source: Lowdown
Background
Dan Thomas was named Leader of Reform UK Wales on 5 February 2026, becoming the public face of the party's campaign for the 7 May 2026 Senedd election. Born in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Thomas left Wales in 1999 and spent more than two decades in financial services and Conservative politics in London, serving as a Conservative councillor in the London Borough of Barnet from 2006 to 2025, including as council leader from 2019 to 2022. He defected to Reform UK in June 2025, citing the party's "unwavering commitment to defending British culture, identity, and values."
Thomas represented Reform UK in the ITV Cymru Wales and BBC One Wales / S4C Senedd leaders debates held ahead of polling day, where debate exchanges on immigration and NHS funding exposed internal tensions in Reform's Welsh pitch — particularly the party's anti-immigration positioning in a region with significant care sector vacancies. Press commentary described the appointment as a surprise, headlined as "Dan who?" given his limited public profile in Wales.
Reform entered the Senedd campaign polling at approximately 27-30% in Welsh voting intention, projecting around 30 seats. His appointment was accompanied by the defection of former Conservative Senedd Member James Evans to Reform UK.