Reform UK Senedd member Sarah Cooper-Lesadd has defected to Plaid Cymru just four months after winning her seat, issuing a detailed statement that accuses her former party of treating Wales as little more than a platform for Nigel Farage’s UK ambitions. Cooper-Lesadd, who represents Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg, announced on 15 September 2026 that she had left Reform UK and joined Plaid Cymru’s Senedd group. Plaid’s national executive committee approved the move the same day. The

Dan Thomas has stepped down as leader of Reform UK in Wales, citing personal reasons after being arrested over the weekend. In a statement released on 15 September 2026, Thomas said it had been “the honour of my life” to lead the party as it grew from no seats to 34 members of the Senedd, becoming the largest opposition group in Welsh history. He added that he was standing down “with deep regret” to avoid becoming a distraction. “Over the weekend, I was reported to the police