Latest news with #SeneddElection
ITV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- ITV News
Two Conwy Councillors in Wales defect to Reform UK
Two more councillors in Wales have defected from their political party to join Reform UK. Cllr Thomas Montgomery and Cllr Louise Emery, both councillors in Conwy, have announced their resignation from the Conservative Party to join Reform UK. The announcement follows yesterday's news that former Conservative Member of the Senedd Laura Anne Jones had also joined Reform UK. A string of councillors in Merthyr Tydfil also announced their own defections in June. Who else has joined Reform UK in Wales? Reform remains without a leader in Wales, however a number of councillors and politicians in the country have now announced that they have joined the party. Stuart Keyte was Wales' first elected Reform UK councillor in February this year. He won the Trevethin and Penygarn seat on Labour-dominated Torfaen council. David Thomas, Jason O'Connell, and Alan Slade are also Reform UK councillors, representing the Llantarnam ward in Torfaen. In March, four councillors from Powys joined the party. Cllr Geoff Morgan, Ithon Valley Ward, Cllr Claire Jonson-Wood, Llanyre with Nantmel Ward, who were both formerly Independent councillors, joined the party. Cllr Iain McIntosh, Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew ward and Cllr Karl Lewis, Llandinam with Dolfor Ward, both formerly Conservative, also joined Reform UK. Owain Clatworthy won a seat on a second Welsh council following a by-election in May for the Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr ward in Bridgend. Cllr Thomas Montgomery, Cllr Louise Emery, and Member of the Senedd Laura Anne Jones have all announced that they have joined Reform UK this week. David Jones, former Conservative MP for Clwyd West and Welsh Secretary, also announced he had joined Reform UK earlier this month. Andrew Barry and David Hughes were both Independent councillors for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council they before defected to Reform UK, announced in a speech by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in Port Talbot last month. It takes the number of Reform councillors in Wales to 13. 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%. In a press release from Reform UK, Cllr Thomas Montgomery said he and Cllr Emery had "joined the tens of thousands of people across our country who realise that the big two parties have failed to deliver the change we need."He continued: "Our politics and our country are broken. We need a party with vision, passion, and policies that deliver for working people and small businesses up and down Wales and the United Kingdom."That is why we are backing Reform – to see a Government cut taxes for working people, support our high streets, deliver smart immigration policies, cut Government waste, and so much more."Whilst we are saddened to be leaving behind incredible friends and colleagues in the Welsh Conservative Party, we cannot stand by any longer. Our communities, our County, and our Country need Reform." Cllr Louise Emery said: "Today I am joining Reform UK because they have a manifesto of common-sense policies – the only way to set this country back on course and ensure local and national government work as they should: for the taxpayer."Reform UK will deliver policies such as a single funding stream for social care, a new Education Curriculum in Wales with better funding for Pupil Referral Units, a line-by-line review of council spending, incentives for work over benefits, support for entrepreneurs, scrapping net zero and energy tax subsidies, and smart – not mass – migration with proper border control."The Conservative Group on the Council are great people who work hard for their residents, and I want to thank them for all their support over the years."This is an exciting new chapter for me, to represent my residents and be part of Reform UK, a party that will deliver change at local government level, in the Senedd, and in Westminster." A spokesperson from Reform added: "Their decision to join Reform UK Wales reflects a growing movement for real change and common-sense politics across Wales."Both Councillors will continue to represent their wards in Conwy, working tirelessly for local residents and fighting for policies that deliver real results."
ITV News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Senior Tory Laura Anne Jones defects to Reform in biggest Welsh coup for Farage yet
Conservative Member of the Senedd Laura Anne Jones has joined Reform UK. The move was announced by the party's leader Nigel Farage at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells on 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 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 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.
Sky News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Conservative Senedd member Laura Anne Jones announces defection to Reform UK
Conservative Senedd member Laura Anne Jones has joined Reform UK, the party has announced. The announcement was made on Tuesday at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells, Powys. The annual event is Europe's largest agricultural show and attracts thousands of visitors every year. The defection comes with less than a year to go until the Senedd election, when voters in Wales will elect 96 members to the Welsh parliament for the first time - an increase of more than 50%. Recent opinion polls have shown Reform UK and Plaid Cymru vying for pole position, with Labour in third and the Conservatives in fourth. Please refresh the page for the latest version.
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Welsh Labour accused of incompetence over Senedd candidate selections
Frustration is mounting among prospective Labour candidates over what some are calling "incompetence" and a "lack of urgency" in the party's selection process for next May's Senedd election, BBC Wales has been selections have been confirmed but other would-be candidates are still awaiting a decision and complain they have had little or no communication from the central Welsh Labour party members had hoped selections would be finalised by last month's spring conference but there are growing fears they will not conclude until the Labour said ranking for all those seeking re-election had been "completed" and shortlisting for the "remaining slots" was ongoing. BBC Wales understands some deadlines to apply to be a candidate have been extended until 3 August."People assume there must be a conspiracy behind these delays," one prospective candidate said."But the truth is it's just incompetence. It's frustrating. "It's the most unprofessional process I've ever seen in any field, inside or outside politics, throughout my career."The party's executive committee is responsible for considering all candidates who apply, through a process of due the new more proportional electoral system, once a maximum of eight candidates are approved, local branches and other party organisations will vote to rank their preferred process will be used to narrow the field down to no more than eight final candidates who will go on to stand in one of the 16 constituencies under the new electoral constituency will return six Members of the Senedd. 'Significantly off-track' Another prospective candidate said there seemed to be a lack of urgency within Welsh Labour, with the election less than a year away."The Welsh Labour Party really needs to urgently get on with the process of selecting candidates," they said."There are quite a few of us who have complained about the way the party has dealt with the candidates' due diligence process."We need to ensure that we have quality, local candidates who are willing to work hard for their communities."Another prospective candidate, who has been through similar selection processes in the past, added: "The process is significantly off-track. "It's very frustrating on a personal level, I've had to turn down a job which has created difficulty and uncertainty.""I don't know whether party headquarters are under-resourced and are feeling a sense of burnout, following an election campaign last year and then spring conference, but it is off-track." What is Labour saying about selections? A Welsh Labour spokesperson responded: "Welsh Labour is currently running selection processes for the 16 new constituencies formed for the next Senedd elections in 2026 following a timetable agreed by the Welsh Executive Committee."Ranking for all those seeking re-election has been completed. "All those who have applied to be a candidate for the remaining slots have gone through robust due diligence procedures and the process of shortlisting those candidates is ongoing." Where are other parties on selections? A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said it had "already selected and confirmed over 80 candidates for the Senedd elections following local selection processes led by party members".The Welsh Conservatives' selection process is underway with the ranking of candidates expected to take place before the end of September.A Reform UK spokesman said the party hoped to have a full slate of candidates in place "by the end of the year".
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Automatic registration looking unlikely for next Senedd election
It will be a "tall order" to ensure that the automatic registration of voters is in place for the next Senedd election, the first minister has Welsh government had hoped to introduce the changes ahead of next May's former cabinet member who helped drive the plans described Eluned Morgan's comments as "disappointing".It is estimated that around 400,000 people in Wales are either missing or incorrectly registered. Automatic voter registration would mean that voters would not have to register themselves in order to be able to the current system, voters must register to vote authorities must then contact households to check that the existing electoral register is accurate and to invite residents to apply to be on the Senedd passed legislation to enable automatic voter registration last year. When the new law was first proposed, the government's counsel general at the time Mick Antoniw said the "ambition" was for the changes to be in place in time for the 2026 Senedd election. Asked by Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd (MS) Adam Price on Tuesday if the government was still committed to that timetable, Morgan said: "It is important to manage expectations around the ability to roll out those automatic registrations in time for the next election."Automatic registration pilot schemes currently under way in four local authorities are due to end in September and Morgan told the Senedd the results would then need to be evaluated by the Electoral Commission."I think we've got to be realistic and practical about what that means in practice, because there will be quite a lot of work to be done before there's an ability to roll them out nationally," she said."I think that it's going to be a tall order within about three months."Local authorities have made it clear that they think that might be very difficult."Responding to the comments, Antoniw - now a backbench Labour MS - said: "It is very disappointing that it will not be in place for 2026 so we must redouble efforts to maximise registration under the current paper registration system that remains."Antoniw added that automatic registration "must" be in place for the 2027 local Blair, director of Electoral Reform Society Cymru, described the news as "disappointing but not a surprise"."The timescale, set by the Welsh government themselves, has made this decision seem somewhat inevitable," she said. "The Welsh government should be clear. "They should either show real leadership in making automatic registration happen or confirm as soon as possible what plans will be in place in its stead in just ten months' time to ensure as many people as possible are registered to vote."
