Beer, Reform’s Carmarthenshire chairman and a councillor in Kidwelly, appeared on Politics Wales on Sunday. The interview comes less than a year after he came within 1,504 votes of Labour’s Dame Nia Griffith in Llanelli at the last General Election.
WATCH our interview with Gareth Beer at the last General Election:
Llanelli Council Leader David Darkin said Beer’s performance underlined Reform UK’s lack of credible voices in Wales.
Darkin argued that Beer failed to explain what Reform would do if elected to the Senedd, adding that he appeared unprepared to face questions on immigration and devolution.
WATCH the interview on BBC Wales:
Questions over Laura Anne Jones’ remarks
Beer was pressed on comments made by Reform Senedd member Laura Anne Jones, who had faced criticism for a remark deemed racist by the Senedd’s Standards Commissioner.
Asked repeatedly about the issue, Beer said Jones had apologised and added:
“I stand with Laura. I stand with the Party. We need to focus on what we’re going to do with the Senedd when we get in.”
When asked if the comments were acceptable, he replied:
“Absolutely not. We’re not in the business of anything like that.”
Immigration and the “Nation of Sanctuary”
Beer also set out Reform’s position on immigration, calling for an end to Wales’ “Nation of Sanctuary” policy, which he claimed cost £55 million. He described immigration as “one of the big issues” for Wales, despite the fact that immigration powers are not devolved to the Senedd.
Challenged on this, he said:
“It’s a poll factor isn’t it. If we advertise the fact that they will get free housing, free healthcare and all the rest of it, we’re basically putting up a flag to say come here when our own people can’t get housing, can’t get healthcare, and everything is at the bottom of the league tables.”
On asylum, Beer said Reform would support “genuine asylum seekers,” but added:
“We don’t open the door, we don’t raise the flag for everyone to come here.”
Reform’s stance on devolution
Beer insisted Reform “genuinely want to make the Senedd work,” although the party nationally has been divided over whether to scrap or reform the devolved institution.
Labour response: “like a rabbit in the headlights”
Following the programme, Llanelli town council leader David Darkin (Labour) described Beer’s performance as “one of the worst TV interviews by a would-be Welsh politician ever.”
He said:
“He had no answers, no ideas and no clue. Councillor Beer has no head for politics and could not answer many of the questions put to him, particularly about policies that Reform will stand on at the Senedd election next May. He was like a rabbit in the headlights.”
Debate over Welsh values and public services
On Beer’s call to end the Nation of Sanctuary, Darkin said:
“At least 7,000 innocent Ukrainian people fleeing Russian attacks were made welcome in Wales. That was not raising a flag for everyone to come here. It was a humane act of compassion, in keeping with long-held Welsh values.”
Darkin also argued that a Reform-led Senedd “would jeopardise free prescriptions and the entire NHS here,” and accused the party of “weaponising immigration.”
He linked Reform to Brexit, saying:
“They’re a mainly English-orientated party that wants to abandon our Senedd. That decision [Brexit] hit Wales hard and is one of the main reasons Welsh people have been struggling with a huge increase in the cost of living. Now they are trying to dupe people into believing they have their interests at heart. It’s all a ruthless con-trick.”
Reform UK has been contacted for comment.
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