Helen Jenner
Leader of Reform UK in Wales and Member of the Senedd for Bangor Conwy Môn.
Helen Jenner has led Reform UK in Wales since 21 September 2026, when the party's Senedd group backed her over Jason O'Connell by 17 votes to 15, facing a Plaid Cymru government that unveiled its programme the next day.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What will Helen Jenner change as Reform UK's leader in Wales?
Timeline for Helen Jenner
Rhun ap Iorwerth sets six goals for Wales
UK Local Elections 2026Background
Helen Jenner is the Reform UK Member of the Senedd for Bangor Conwy Môn and the party's leader in Wales. She took the first of Reform's two seats in the six-member constituency at the election of 7 May 2026, the first held for the enlarged 96-seat Senedd.
Born in Neath and brought up on Anglesey, she speaks Welsh and worked as a teacher in north-west England and London before moving back to the island in 2019. Reform named her its deputy leader in Wales in April 2026, and in the Senedd she spoke for the party on education and the Welsh language.
Her leadership was decided by Reform's MSs alone; the wider membership had no vote. The narrow margin over O'Connell means she leads a group that split almost evenly on her appointment.
Jenner leads the largest opposition group
Jenner took charge in two steps. She became interim leader on 15 September 2026, after Dan Thomas resigned following his arrest by Gwent Police; Thomas has been released on bail, has not been charged and denies wrongdoing. On 21 September Nigel Farage presented her as permanent leader at the Senedd, after a ballot confined to Reform's MSs that IBTimes UK reported as 17 to 15.
Her first test came a day later, when Rhun ap Iorwerth's Plaid Cymru minority put six priorities for 2026 to 2030 before the Senedd without naming a partner party. With 33 Reform MSs behind her, Jenner commands the biggest opposition bloc the Senedd has seen, facing a government that must assemble support vote by vote.
Who is the leader of Reform UK in Wales?
How did Helen Jenner become Reform UK Wales leader?
Which constituency does Helen Jenner represent?
