Brecon and Radnorshire Senedd Member James Evans joins Reform UK

The current Senedd member for Brecon and Radnorshire was sacked by the Tories last month over suspicions he was planning to defect to Nigel Farage’s party.

Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, dismissed Mr Evans as shadow cabinet secretary for health and social care and withdrew the party whip.

Since then Mr Evans, who was first elected in 2021, has sat as an independent.

Reform had one Member of the Senedd after former Conservative Laura Anne Jones defected to join the party in July, and now have a second

James Evans has told a Reform UK event, where he was unveiled as having defected to the party, that Britain and Wales were “broken”.

He acknowledged that he had been critical of Reform in the past and had done so publicly but said “serious people, not career politicians, reassess when the reality refuses to go away”.

“I looked again, I listened, I read the detail,” Mr Evans said.

“I saw a movement that has grown and starts where the other parties refuse to start, with the truth that Britain is broken, that Wales is broken and nothing gets fixed until you’re willing to admit it. That’s why I am here.”

He added that Plaid Cymru and the Green Party would lead Wales on a “slow march” to the break-up of the United Kingdom.

“I’m proudly Welsh but I’m proudly British,” he added. “These things are not in conflict and we are stronger together as one United Kingdom.”

Mr Evans said he has been concerned over the direction of the Conservative Party “for some time” and alleges the party “does not allow free speech or criticism”.

He said afterwards he would make an announcement on his future in due course, which culminated today in his decision to join Reform.

In his speech at the Reform UK event, James Evans said: "An important part for the country for me is rural Wales where I was born, brought up and worked most of my life. 

"It hurts me that rural Wales and farmers are seen as a problem to issues in our society when often most they offer solutions. 

"Farmers and rural communities are not the problem, it’s the crazy policies in Cardiff Bay that are the problem. 

"Reform will stand shoulder to shoulder with those in rural Wales 

"Wales does not have to accept decline. It does not have to be run by those who broke it and refuse to admit it. Britain is broken. Wales is broken.Nothing gets fixed by denial. Britain needs Reform and Wales needs it even more. 

"A politics of honesty not spin, of courage not comfort, of action not excuses. 

"I cannot wait to work with Welsh patriots to turn this country around. 

"Together we will reform Wales. Together we will turn things around and together we will deliver the change Wales needs because everyone knows Wales needs Reform." 

"One of the biggest [issues] is the state of our NHS. My family work in the NHS or have worked in the NHS and during the last 12 months I’ve led on health policy, served on the health committee. I have met hundreds of patients, clinicians on the frontline doing their best. 

"That was a non-negotiable for me and non-negotiable in Reform; working with clinicians not against them… fixing what is broken." 

Meanwhile, Welsh-born former London council leader Dan Thomas has been unveiled by Nigel Farage as the leader of Reform UK in Wales before the Senedd elections in May.

Mr Thomas, who grew up in Wales, was the Conservative leader of Barnet Council from 2019 to 2022 and joined Reform UK last year.

In December he quit as a councillor for Finchley Church End after returning to Wales with his family.

Responding to the defection of James Evans to Reform UK, Senedd Member for Mid and West Wales Jane Dodds said:

"By switching parties without facing the voters, James Evans has broken the trust of people who backed him in Brecon and Radnorshire who believed he would provide steady representation for this area. That trust matters in a rural constituency like ours, where politics is personal and reputation counts.



 "The Welsh Liberal Democrats are ambitious for Brecon and Radnorshire, and will fight to protect our local hospitals, revive our local high streets, and fix childcare."

While Plaid Cymru Leader Plaid Cymru leader has hit out at Reform UK’s announcement that former Conservative leader of Barnet Council will be their leader in Wales - accusing ‘Farage’s lapdog’ of being responsible only for getting Reform into Downing Street.

Dan Thomas will join a list of Reform UK Wales leaders which including Nathan Gill, who has recently been convicted for accepting bribes to make pro-Russian statements as an MEP.

Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, said: "Two more ex-Tories defecting to Reform UK should come as no surprise to the people of Wales. Now, there is no doubt that Reform UK are simply recycled, washed-out Tories looking for a new political home now the Conservatives are dead in the water.

“The announcement of Farage's Welsh deputy will change nothing in the minds of the people of Wales. They know that Reform is weak. Weak on solutions, weak on ideas, and weak on standing up for Wales.

"It doesn't matter who Farage has selected to represent him. The so-called leader's sole responsibility will be to get Nigel Farage into No.10 Downing Street, because for Reform, Wales is nothing but a stepping stone.

"As was proven in the Caerphilly by-election and supported by opinion poll after opinion poll, only Plaid Cymru can stop Reform in the election on 7 May. Therefore, the people of Wales face a clear choice: a party that always stands up for Wales with Plaid Cymru, or Farage’s lapdog running our NHS and schools.

“Plaid Cymru offers new leadership for Wales with credible plans for our communities, and the ambition Wales deserves.”