Senior Tory Laura Anne Jones defects to Reform in biggest Welsh coup for Farage yet
The move was announced by the party's leader Nigel Farage at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells on Tuesday.It marks the most high-profile defection to Reform in Wales yet, and follows a string of councillors in Merthyr Tydfil who announced their own defections in June.
David Jones, former Conservative MP for Clwyd West and Welsh Secretary, also announced he had joined Reform UK earlier this month.As Wales prepares for the Senedd Election next year, a recent ITV Cymru Wales poll showed a large surge in support for Reform, which took 25% of the vote share.That would make them the second-largest party in Wales, behind Plaid Cymru, at 30%.
Laura Anne Jones currently serves as the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Housing and the Armed Forces.
She was elected to the Senedd in July 2020 as the South Wales East MS.
She had previously served as the Assembly Member for South Wales East from 2003 to 2007, during which time she was the Assembly's Shadow Minister for Sport.
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