A leader for Wales? Not just yet, says Farage

ONE of the big questions Reform UK has faced in Wales is who the party will have leading it here.

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Nigel Farage has repeatedly batted off the questions, but now seems to have ruled out anyone being appointed before the Senedd election in May 2026.

Reform UK is projected to do well at the election, which is being fought on new boundaries, with a new electoral system, and will see 96 rather than 60 Senedd members elected. Should Reform be the biggest party - as polling has suggested - it could mean their leader is candidate for the next First Minister.

At a press conference at the Royal Welsh Show, Mr Farage was joined by Laura Anne Jones, who made a shock announcement she was defecting from the Conservatives to Reform UK.

He called it a “big step forward” for the party in Wales.

In questions from journalists, Mr Farage was asked about plans to appoint a leader in Wales.

He said: “Reform is a relatively young party. We've just about got beyond startup phase, and of course a leader will be appointed in Wales. But the answer is, all in good time.

“For the moment, David [Jones] is our elder statesman, and I will be here a lot between now and next May and we'll see from the 96 that get selected, from those who get elected, we will of course have a Welsh leader, but not just yet”.

Mr Jones, the former Welsh secretary, who had already announced that he had left the Conservatives to join Reform, said he would not be leading the party into the election.

Ms Jones was asked if she would put her name forward, she replied “we'll have to see what happens, won't we?”.

Polling has shown Reform UK and Plaid Cymru are both front runners to beat Eluned Morgan's Labour Party. Three consecutive polls for Wales have shown Labour coming third.

Mr Farage told the press conference he wanted to urge farmers to become candidates ahead of the election. “We will, between now and next May, get farmers directly involved and we also want Welsh farming voices to put their names forward.”