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Dan Thomas

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Dan Thomas
MS
Official portrait, 2026
Leader of the Opposition in Wales
In office
12 May 2026 – 15 September 2026
First MinisterRhun ap Iorwerth
DeputyHelen Jenner
Preceded byDarren Millar
Succeeded byHelen Jenner
Leader of Reform UK Wales
In office
5 February 2026 – 15 September 2026
DeputyHelen Jenner
UK party leaderNigel Farage
Preceded byNathan Gill[a]
Succeeded byHelen Jenner
Member of the Senedd
Incumbent
Assumed office
8 May 2026
ConstituencyCasnewydd Islwyn
Local government offices
Leader of Barnet London Borough Council
In office
21 May 2019 – 5 May 2022
Preceded byRichard Cornelius
Succeeded byBarry Rawlings
Member of Barnet London Borough Council
In office
4 May 2006 – 31 December 2025
WardFinchley Church End
Personal details
BornDaniel Thomas
c. 1981 (age 44–45)
South Wales Valleys, Wales
PartyReform UK (since 2025)
Other political
affiliations
Conservative (until 2025)
Children2
EducationColeg Gwent

Daniel Thomas (born c. 1981) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition in Wales from May to September 2026, and Leader of Reform UK Wales from February to September 2026.[1] He has served as a member of the Senedd (MS) for Casnewydd Islwyn since May 2026. A former member of the Conservative Party, Thomas was the leader of Barnet London Borough Council from 2019 to 2022, representing Finchley Church End from 2006 to 2025.

Early life and career

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Thomas was born and raised in the Welsh valleys, originally coming from Blackwood, Caerphilly.[2] He studied for A-levels at the Coleg Gwent campus in Crosskeys.[3] He said he left Wales in 1999 at the age of 18 due to a "lack of opportunities".[4] He said he has a background in "financial services, retail banking".[5]

Political career

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Thomas as a councillor

Thomas served as a Conservative Party councillor on Barnet London Borough Council from 2006 to 2025, serving as leader of the council from 2019 to 2022, and as leader of the opposition Conservative group on the council following 2022.

In the 2010 and 2017 general elections, he was the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Islwyn, coming second both times.[6]

In the 2016 London Assembly election, he stood as the Conservative candidate for Barnet and Camden.

In 2018 while Dan Thomas was deputy council leader of Barnet, he and the council leader faced calls to resign from the leader of the Labour group on the council, after it came to light that a council worker, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison, had stolen £2 million by fraud from the council while working with Capita between 2016 and 2017.[7]

Following the birth of his son in summer 2024, he moved away from Barnet and announced he would be standing down from the council in the following year.

Dan Thomas defected to Reform UK in June 2025, stating: "I joined Reform because of their unwavering commitment to defending British culture, identity, and values."[8] He later resigned from the council on 31 December 2025, leaving a vacant seat heading into the 2026 election; the timing of the resignation meant a by-election was avoided.[9]

Leader of Reform UK Wales (2026)

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Thomas was announced as Leader of Reform UK Wales on 5 February 2026.[6] In that announcement, Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, said: "He has voluntarily left London, come back to the Valleys, living in Islwyn, come back to his home, and he's done that because he loves Wales." However, Nation.Cymru reported that a source told it that Thomas had actually moved to Bath, England.[10] Following speculation in the media about where Thomas lived, Reform UK said: "Dan lives in Wales. Any claim to the contrary is entirely false. He lives here in Wales, where he is raising his young family". They also confirmed that he owns a property portfolio, which included a property in Bath that is rented out and not his main residence.[11] ITV Wales confirmed they had seen proof that Dan Thomas was added to the electoral roll in the Caerphilly borough area in July 2025. A Reform UK spokesperson said: "Dan is on the electoral roll here in Wales".[12]

Following a series of controversies relating to the party's selections, Thomas appointed Helen Jenner as the party's deputy leader.[13]

Leader of the Opposition (2026)

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In the 2026 Senedd election he was elected and became Leader of the Opposition. He appointed the Thomas shadow cabinet.

In May 2026, Corey Edwards, a man who has appeared to do a Nazi salute, was appointed as an adviser to Thomas.[14] Plaid Cymru and Labour criticised the appointment.[14]

On 15 September 2026, Thomas announced his resignation as leader of Reform UK Wales following his arrest on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour. Helen Jenner as deputy became acting leader.[15] Gwent Police said that Thomas had been released on bail pending further enquiries; Thomas said he had been "released without charge" and had "done nothing wrong".[16] He said he would continue to serve as a Member of the Senedd for the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency.[17]

Personal life

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Thomas has a wife and two young sons. The family moved from Barnet in 2024 so that Thomas and his wife could raise their young sons in the countryside, and live closer to their families in South Wales.[6]

Elections contested

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Senedd elections

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Year Constituency Party Votes % votes Result Ref.
2026 Casnewydd Islwyn Reform 25,571 32.9 Elected [18]

Barnet London Borough Council elections

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Year Ward Party Votes % votes Result Ref.
2006 Finchley Church End Conservative 2,402 58.5 Elected [19]
2010 Finchley Church End Conservative 3,403 48.0 Elected [20]
2014 Finchley Church End Conservative 2,197 48.2 Elected [21]
2018 Finchley Church End Conservative 3,050 57.8 Elected [22]
2022 Finchley Church End Conservative 2,140 40.6 Elected [23]

UK general elections

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Year Constituency Party Votes % votes Result Ref.
2010 Islwyn Conservative 4,854 14.0 2nd of 8 [24]
2017 Islwyn Conservative 9,826 27.2 2nd of 5 [25]

London Assembly elections

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Year Constituency Party Votes % votes Result Ref.
2016 Barnet and Camden Conservative 65,242 35.5 2nd of 5 [26]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ Office vacant between 8 May 2021 and 5 February 2026

References

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  1. ↑ "Dan Thomas quits as Reform Wales leader after police involvement". The Pembrokeshire Herald. 15 September 2026.
  2. ↑ Browne, Adrian (5 February 2026). "Who is Reform UK's Welsh leader Dan Thomas?". BBC News. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  3. ↑ Shipton, Martin (6 February 2026). "Ex Tory councillor from London's appointment as Reform UK's leader in Wales 'a huge insult'". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  4. ↑ Williams, Rhys (5 February 2026). "Reform UK unveils surprise choice for the party's new leader in Wales". ITV News.
  5. ↑ Mosalski, Ruth (15 September 2026). "Who is Reform UK's Dan Thomas, who has stood down as the party's leader in Wales after his arrest?". Wales Online.
  6. 1 2 3 Browne, Adrian (5 February 2026). "Who is Reform UK's Welsh leader Dan Thomas?". BBC News. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  7. ↑ "Council under fire over contractor's £2m fraud". The BBC. 27 September 2018.
  8. ↑ "Former London Tory council leader latest to defect to Nigel Farage's Reform". The Standard. 30 June 2025. Archived from the original on 29 August 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  9. ↑ Floyd, David (31 December 2025). "Former council leader quits council". Barnet Post. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "The new leader of Reform UK Wales lives in Bath, not Wales". Nation.Cymru. 6 February 2026.
  11. ↑ Sinclair, Tom (7 February 2026). "Reform rejects questions over new Welsh Leader Dan Thomas' residency". The Pembrokeshire Herald.
  12. ↑ Mansfield, Mark (8 February 2026). "Reform UK's Welsh leader 'not on the electoral register in December 2025'". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  13. ↑ Price, Emily (1 April 2026). "Reform Wales appoints deputy leader as Senedd campaign threatens to stall". Nation.Cymru.
  14. 1 2 "Corey Edwards: Man who appeared to do Nazi salute becomes Reform adviser". BBC News. 26 May 2026. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
  15. ↑ "Leader of Reform UK in Wales stands down after arrest on suspicion of assault". The Guardian. 15 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Reform's Dan Thomas resigns as Wales leader after arrest". BBC News. 15 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "Reform UK Wales leader stands down after arrest". Nation.Cymru. 15 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "Casnewydd Islwyn results". Sky News. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "Barnet Local Elections 2006 Analysis" (PDF). Barnet London Borough. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  20. ↑ "Highlights: election results 2010". Barnet London Borough. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  21. ↑ "Results". London Borough of Barnet. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  22. ↑ "Local Government Election Results 2018". Barnet Council. Archived from the original on 8 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "5 May 2022 Local Government Election results for Finchley Church End". Archived from the original on 17 September 2026. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  24. ↑ "2010 General Election - Islwyn". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  25. ↑ "2017 General Election - Islwyn". Parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  26. ↑ "Mayor of London & London Assembly Elections Results 2016". London Elects. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
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