Friday, April 03, 2026
Ex -Welsh Reform candidate issues warning about his former party
The news site says that following the publication of an image of lead candidate and former Conservative aide Corey Edwards performing a Nazi salute, Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg candidate Owain Clatworthy announced on Tuesday (March 31) he was leaving Reform UK, citing concerns about the selection process used to choose the party’s top candidates for the May 7 election:
Clatworthy told the BBC the image, “really did it for me. I can’t support a party that would be happy to back something like that”.
Five of Reform’s Senedd election hopefuls have so far stepped down since the party unveiled its full slate of candidates a week ago.
On Wednesday (April 1) Clatworthy took aim at one of Reform’s top media performers in Wales – Torfaen councillor Jason O’Connell.
He has faced accusations in recent days from his own party members of being “parachuted” into the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr constituency from outside the area.
In a post to X, O’Connell said Reform was gaining “momentum” in Wales adding that his party’s manifesto would put Welsh people first.
Clatworthy responded warning that O’Connell was not motivated by Valleys families – but by a Senedd salary and other “perks”.
He continued:
“Jason, like far too many others in Reform, is not motivated by the Valleys or your families.
“They’re motivated by the Senedd salary, the perks, the pension, the title, and protecting their own. Power. Money. Self-interest.”
A senior Reform UK source said the party was in the midst of a “civil war” and warned that further resignations by candidates were expected ahead of the May 7 election.
The source said: “At this stage it’s civil war. Welsh leader Dan Thomas hasn’t seemed to have intervened or done any leading at all, as chaos descends over the farcical candidate selection that was used by Torfaen’s David Thomas and HQ to place friends into winnable rankings.
“Owain Clatworthy is right – the whole party has become a careerist vehicle.”
Let's hope that the voters take notice when they come to choose who represents them.
