Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Reform's disastrous vetting process
The news site says that the key member, who does not wish to be named, said they took part in Reform’s “full candidate assessment and training process” for the upcoming Welsh election, and has accused the party of a “lack of transparency” and criticised the “calibre of some of the people now being placed in winnable positions”:
The insider told us: “What I witnessed was not a merit-based system designed to find the best local representatives – but a centrally controlled process that favours insiders, parachuted candidates and personal connections over local knowledge and competence.
“Several high-placed candidates have been moved into top spots despite having no real connection to the areas they are supposed to represent.
This description in mirrored by Will Hayward's special report on Reform's Senedd candidates on his Substack.
Hayward points out that there are a lot of former Tories amongst the 96 candidates being put forward by Nigel Farage. He says that of the 16 seats, 11 have a former Conservative in at least first or second place on the list, adding that if former Tories are standing, they are almost always high up the list.
The party's vetting process had a number of flaws, including a failure to take account of historic social media posts by candidates.
Hayward refers to the Facebook page of Caerdydd Penarth candidate Paul Campbell, which features pictures showing a man posting a letter into the eyes of a Muslim woman wearing a burka (likely in reference to Boris Johnson saying that Muslim women look like letter boxes) and obscene fake/edited images showing Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbot.
In addition, he says that Senedd candidate for Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, Martin Roberts, who is an organiser for the party, had pictures of himself alongside known members of Welsh Far Right organisations proudly displayed on his public Facebook page.
Finally, he publishes a whistlestop tour of some of Reform's other candidates:
* Mark Reckless. (2nd Caerdydd Penarth). Mr Reckless spent five years as an MS between 2016 and 2021. During that time he represented four different parties and was also an independent. Throughout that time he employed his wife as a senior advisor on up to £41k a year at the taxpayers expense.
* Dan Thomas. (1st Casnewydd Islwyn). Reform’s leader in Wales led Barnet Council and embarked on a huge outsourcing of public services. We published a special report on that here. He also said that the media was “weaponising my housing portfolio against me”.
* Laura Anne Jones. (1st Sir Fynwy Torfaen). Was suspended from the Senedd for using a racist slur. She has failed to turn up for key votes but did vote against stopping politicians from lying. Ms Jones has previously agreed to interviews with this newsletter but has then repeatedly ignored requests.
* James Evans (1st Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd). One of Reform’s two MSs previously called Reform “dangerous” for their rhetoric against minorities and that they “didn’t have a plan for Wales” and were “total hypocrites”. After his defection he attacked the media for apparently twisting his words.
Cristiana Emsley. (1st, Fflint Wrecsam). She was head of Cleveland Police’s standards and ethics department and was suspended for over two years following an investigation into allegations of misconduct. When we approached Reform UK they indicated that the suspension was as a result of her activities as a whistleblower within the organisation and that she had been awarded a six-figure out of court settlement following her suspension.
Llyr Powell. (1st Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni). Known as “Welsh Dave” by Nigel Farage, he was Reform’s unsuccessful candidate in the Caerphilly by-election. He previously worked for Reform’s former Welsh leader Nathan Gill who is currently in jail for taking Russian bribes (there is no suggestion Mr Powell did anything wrong).
History can be pretty damning.
In addition, he says that Senedd candidate for Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, Martin Roberts, who is an organiser for the party, had pictures of himself alongside known members of Welsh Far Right organisations proudly displayed on his public Facebook page.
Finally, he publishes a whistlestop tour of some of Reform's other candidates:
* Mark Reckless. (2nd Caerdydd Penarth). Mr Reckless spent five years as an MS between 2016 and 2021. During that time he represented four different parties and was also an independent. Throughout that time he employed his wife as a senior advisor on up to £41k a year at the taxpayers expense.
* Dan Thomas. (1st Casnewydd Islwyn). Reform’s leader in Wales led Barnet Council and embarked on a huge outsourcing of public services. We published a special report on that here. He also said that the media was “weaponising my housing portfolio against me”.
* Laura Anne Jones. (1st Sir Fynwy Torfaen). Was suspended from the Senedd for using a racist slur. She has failed to turn up for key votes but did vote against stopping politicians from lying. Ms Jones has previously agreed to interviews with this newsletter but has then repeatedly ignored requests.
* James Evans (1st Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd). One of Reform’s two MSs previously called Reform “dangerous” for their rhetoric against minorities and that they “didn’t have a plan for Wales” and were “total hypocrites”. After his defection he attacked the media for apparently twisting his words.
Cristiana Emsley. (1st, Fflint Wrecsam). She was head of Cleveland Police’s standards and ethics department and was suspended for over two years following an investigation into allegations of misconduct. When we approached Reform UK they indicated that the suspension was as a result of her activities as a whistleblower within the organisation and that she had been awarded a six-figure out of court settlement following her suspension.
Llyr Powell. (1st Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni). Known as “Welsh Dave” by Nigel Farage, he was Reform’s unsuccessful candidate in the Caerphilly by-election. He previously worked for Reform’s former Welsh leader Nathan Gill who is currently in jail for taking Russian bribes (there is no suggestion Mr Powell did anything wrong).
History can be pretty damning.
