Reform MS Laura Anne Jones has been elected deputy leader of Reform in Wales after an internal Senedd vote that followed Helen Jenner's elevation to party leader. Jones, a former Conservative who defected to Reform in 2025, was suspended for two weeks in November 2025 after using a racial slur in a WhatsApp conversation and has apologised. Dan Thomas resigned as leader after an arrest; he remains on police bail and denies wrongdoing. Reform conducted the vote among its 33 MSs but did not open the leadership selection to the wider membership.
Laura Anne Jones Elected Deputy Leader Of Reform In Wales Amid Controversy
Laura Anne Jones is an MS for Sir Fynwy Torfaen [AFP]
Reform MS Laura Anne Jones has been elected deputy leader of Reform in Wales following an internal Senedd vote, the party has confirmed.
Election And Reaction
The vacancy arose after Helen Jenner was chosen as the party's Senedd leader in a meeting of Reform MSs. In a statement after her election, Jones said:
"We've made a fantastic start here in the Senedd, giving a voice to the voiceless and standing up for Wales' left-behind communities. I'm excited to work with Helen Jenner and the rest of our team to deliver the real change Wales needs."
Background And Controversy
Jones was suspended from the Senedd for two weeks in November 2025 after it emerged she had used a racial slur about Chinese people in a WhatsApp conversation in August 2023. She apologised for the remark, saying she was "genuinely sorry", and has denied being racist.
The election to the deputy role was decided by Reform's Senedd group; the party did not say who else stood for the position. Reform has held internal ballots among its 33 MSs but has not opened leadership contests to the wider membership.
Leadership Change And Police Inquiry
Jenner took the Senedd leadership after Dan Thomas resigned last week following his arrest on suspicion of assault and alleged coercive or controlling behaviour. Thomas is on police bail while inquiries continue and denies any wrongdoing.
Jenner was unveiled by UK Reform leader Nigel Farage on the Senedd steps. Farage described her as "a determined campaigner"; Jenner previously belonged to UKIP before joining the Brexit Party and subsequently Reform.
Political Profile
Laura Anne Jones is a former Conservative who defected to Reform in the summer of 2025 in a high-profile move announced at the Royal Welsh Show. She won re-election last May on Reform's regional list for Torfaen (Sir Fynwy) and serves as the party's rural affairs spokesperson.
With the party undergoing rapid leadership changes and public scrutiny over past comments, Reform faces internal and public pressure as it consolidates its team in the Senedd.
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