Speakers in Llandudno included high profile defectors to the party
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage attends a rally at Venue Cymru(Image: Getty Images)
In the last few days, Reform UK’s their former leader in Wales was jailed for more than 10 years, their only Senedd member was suspended from the Welsh Parliament for using a racial slur, and as their current overall leader, Nigel Farage, faces ongoing questions about racist comments he himself is said to have made.
The rally, at Venue Cymru, saw a number of speakers take to the stage before party leader Nigel Farage gave a speech. It included their only Senedd member, Laura Anne Jones, who is currently suspended from the Senedd after she was found to have made a racist comment.
David Bull, the party chairman, introduced each speaker. Former Welsh secretary David Jones also gave a speech, as did former Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton, who have both quit the Tories to join Reform.
Llyr Powell, the defeated candidate in the high-profile Caerphilly by-election also spoke at the event. He was described as a “real force” for the party in Wales.
Here are the things we learnt from the event:
1. They have high-profile defectors
Former Conservative MP Sarah Atherton spoke at the Reform UK conference in Llandudno(Image: Reform UK)
Former Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton took to the stage after defecting. She lost her seat in the 2025 general election after being elected in 2019.
She used her speech to criticise Plaid and Labour, and the 20mph default speed limit, and the tourism tax. She also criticised the Nation of Sanctuary scheme as “opening our borders to the world whilst closing it down for the English”.
David Jones, a former MP and Welsh secretary said: “I used to be a member of the Conservative Party. In fact, I joined that party when I was a teenager and I was a member for over 50 years, so it wasn’t easy for me to leave.
“But I stood down before the last general election, having realised that for half of the last Parliament, I spend most of my time deeply disapproving of what my own party was doing in government,” he said. “I was deeply disappointed by the retained EU law bill and about the Rwanda Bill, which contained a provision which actually told people how to avoid being sent to Rwanda, which I thought was a bit odd.
“But the thing that upset me more than anything else was the so-called Windsor framework that had the most devastating impact upon the United Kingdom.”
2. They think they will win the Senedd election
South Wales East MS Laura Anne Jones said Wales is “at a turning point”. “This election is our moment to take Wales in a new direction. This election will be an historic one. It is clear that there will be no longer more of the same from this tired Welsh Government that has run out of ideas. It is clear that after 30 years of canvassing here in Wales, I never thought that I’d see Labour voters leaving the party in droves in the way that they are. Finally, the people of Wales have woken up and realised they are not fighting for their interests.”
David Jones told the rally something similar.
“We in Reform intend to listen, learn and lead and represent the genuine and heartfelt concerns of the Welsh people in Cardiff Bay.
“We have every intention of doing that but we have a fight ahead of us and I know that everyone in this audience is going to do his or her bit to make sure that we succeed next year.
“It means going out, it means knocking on doors, it means putting up posters. It means giving a bit of money to Reform UK, which is going to be the best money you will have spent of the next six months. But at the end of that process, I have every confidence that reform UK will form the next administration in Cardiff Bay“.
3. And that Nigel Farage will be Prime Minister
David Bull introduced his party’s leader as “a man who needs no introduction. He’s arguably the most famous politician in this country, if not the world”.
“Soon, ladies and gentlemen, he will make history once again when he becomes the next British Prime Minister.”
4. Laura Anne-Jones really loves Nigel Farage
Speaker after speaker praised Nigel Farage(Image: PA)
The suspended Senedd member told the rally: “Nigel, it is a privilege that you’re here with us tonight.
“You have inspired millions to play in us by refusing to play along with a broken political system and you have, once again, unlike any other UK leader, shown your commitment to Wales by being here tonight.
“Our movement is stronger because of your leadership and your conviction that you bring.
“You lead with strength, with experience, with common sense and with kindness, and we are lucky to have you at the helm”.
5. They really laid into Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth(Image: Matthew Horwood)
Laura Anne Jones said people have “seen through” Labour and the fight for Reform isn’t with them any more, but with Plaid Cymru. “They pose an even bigger threat, Plaid are enveloped by dangerous ideology and they’re obsessed with breaking us up and apart from the United Kingdom.
“They are a danger to Wales and the consequences would be could be catastrophic,” she said.
Ms Jones went on: “They’ve been in bed with Labour for the last two decades”. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
David Jones told the rally Plaid Cymru were “nasty separatists”.
“For the last 26 years Labour’s little helpers in Cardiff have been Plaid Cymru and they’ve got their tails up now.
“They say they’re looking forward to the elections next year. It’s a case of the monkey looking forward to taking over from the organ grinder but, you know, if they did take over, what would we be left with?
“We’d be left with a socialist party that in many respects is more extreme than Labour and not only are they more extreme, they actually want to tear Wales out of the heart of the United Kingdom. They are nasty separatists and it’s up to us to stop them.”
6. That
Graffiti spray painted on Reform’s campaing office in Cardiff Road, Caerphilly, following their election defeat.(Image: Matthew Horwood)
Llyr Powell, speaking after his election loss in Caerphilly, said: At the end of the election you might all have seen that there was a certain note left on my campaign office telling Reform to, in certain words, go home. I’ve got to disappoint those people because Reform is going nowhere.”