Reform UK Wales Leader Dan Thomas Steps Down After Police Report

Reform UK Wales Leader Dan Thomas Steps Down After Police Report Reform UK’s leader in Wales, Dan Thomas, has stepped down from his position after saying he was reported to police and subsequently released without charge. Thomas, who became leader of Reform UK in Wales in February and later became leader of the opposition in the Senedd, said he was resigning for “personal reasons” but stressed that he had done nothing wrong.

The development follows his arrest by Gwent Police on Sunday, September 13, on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour. Police said the 45-year-old man, from the Aberbargoed area, had been released on bail pending further enquiries. In a statement announcing his resignation, Thomas said it had been an honour to lead Reform Wales but that he did not want the circumstances surrounding the police report to distract from the work of his colleagues in the Senedd.He said he had been “reported to the police” over the weekend and was subsequently released without charge. Thomas also insisted that he had done nothing wrong.Despite leaving the Welsh leadership, he will remain a Member of the Senedd and continue representing the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency. Gwent Police confirmed that a 45-year-old man from the Aberbargoed area was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour. The force said the man had been bailed pending further enquiries. Police have not publicly identified the man as Thomas, but the circumstances correspond with the Reform politician’s statement that he had been reported to police and released without charge. No charge has been brought against Thomas, and the allegations have not been proven. Thomas’s departure comes only months after Reform UK made a major breakthrough in Welsh politics. At the May Senedd election, Reform won 34 of the 96 seats, becoming the largest opposition group in the Welsh parliament and placing the party at the centre of Welsh political debate. Thomas had presented the result as evidence that Reform had established itself as a major force in Wales. Earlier this month, he said the party was prepared to “take the reins” if Plaid Cymru’s administration failed to deliver on its promises. Thomas was appointed Reform UK’s Welsh leader in February 2026 after previously serving as a Conservative politician. Before joining Reform, he was leader of Barnet Council in London and represented Finchley Church End as a councillor. He later moved back to Wales, where he had been born, and became the Reform candidate for Casnewydd Islwyn.His rise to the leadership coincided with Reform’s rapid expansion across Wales The resignation represents a significant setback for Reform UK at a time when the party is seeking to consolidate its electoral gains in Wales.Thomas had been one of the most prominent figures in the party’s Welsh operation and was expected to play a central role in developing Reform’s challenge to Plaid Cymru and Labour. His departure also comes amid wider scrutiny of Reform UK, including an ongoing police investigation into allegations concerning the party’s handling of political donations. Reform has denied wrongdoing in that separate matter Thomas’s decision means Reform UK will now have to select a new Welsh leader while continuing to operate as the largest opposition group in the Senedd. For now, Thomas remains a Senedd member and has indicated that he intends to continue representing his constituents.His resignation statement made clear that he did not consider stepping down as an admission of wrongdoing, but rather a decision designed to prevent the police matter from overshadowing Reform’s political work. The investigation by Gwent Police remains ongoing.