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Helen Jenner has been elected Reform UK’s new leader in Wales after defeating Jason O’Connell by 17 votes to 15.
The result came from a vote among the party’s 33 Senedd members. Jenner, who previously served as Reform UK’s deputy leader in Wales, succeeds Dan Thomas.
A narrow result
Jenner and O’Connell had competed for the leadership after Thomas stood down last Tuesday. Jenner said the two candidates had agreed that whoever won would support the other.
Despite that agreement, the closeness of the vote has prompted speculation that fresh divisions could emerge within Reform’s Senedd group. The result itself does not establish that such divisions have occurred.
Nigel Farage joined Jenner outside the Senedd earlier that day. Farage did not mention O’Connell and later described the loss of Reform UK’s leader in Wales as a “bump in the road”.
Why the leadership changed
Thomas stood down after being arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour. He is on bail and denies wrongdoing. The allegations have not been established as facts.
Jenner has previously been involved with the Brexit Party and UKIP in Wales. The wider political background includes a split in UKIP Wales in 2016 and the conviction of Nathan Gill, a previous leader of Reform UK in Wales, who was jailed last year for taking bribes to make statements in favour of Russia while he was an MEP.
What happens next
Jenner now takes charge of Reform UK’s Welsh Senedd group as the party faces upcoming Senedd elections in 2026. Her immediate challenge will be to maintain cooperation among members after a leadership vote decided by two votes.
The public record described in the source material points to a change of leader and a close internal contest, rather than confirming a new split. Jenner’s pledge to support O’Connell may provide a basis for keeping the group united.
AI tools were used to assist with the preparation of this article.
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