Westminster controversy and national politics
Farage opened by addressing what he called a major political scandal, criticising Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the United States despite his past association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
“This is the biggest scandal in British politics for over one century,” Farage said. “Despite the fact he’d known that Mandelson had continued his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein even after he’d been sent to prison for underage prostitution, the Prime Minister still appointed Mandelson to be our ambassador in Washington.”
He suggested the matter raised questions of governance, judgement and legal accountability, saying: “I suspect it’s pretty close in many ways to breaching the Official Secrets Act.”
Wales as a political opportunity
Farage framed the controversy at Westminster as compounding Labour’s struggles in Wales. “South Wales really is the birthplace of the Labour Party… and most of these constituencies have been taken for granted pretty much since 1918,” he said.
He dismissed the Conservatives as weak in Wales and positioned Reform UK as the real alternative: “The Tories are nowhere in Wales in this contest.” He also criticised Plaid Cymru, calling them “the party of continued failure in Wales — whether it’s health, education or some of the loony policies such as the 20 mile an hour speed limit.”
James Evans: defection and critique of devolution
James Evans was introduced on stage as the latest Reform UK candidate for the Senedd. A former Conservative MS, Evans said he left his previous party over its unwillingness to confront problems in Welsh politics. “Wales has had 26 years of Cardiff Bay spin. Britain is broken and Wales is broken also,” he said.
Evans criticised the Conservatives’ approach to cooperation with Plaid Cymru and Labour in Cardiff Bay: “Negotiating with a Welsh Labour government to pass their budget, that was not new leadership. That was repeating the same mistakes that Wales has suffered from for years.”
He also highlighted the media environment, accusing critics of stripping statements of context to smear reputations: “Smear first, silence second, then move on. That’s their model.”
Policy focus: NHS and rural communities
Evans singled out health and rural policy. “The worst NHS performance in Britain,” he said. He confirmed that remaining free at the point of use was non-negotiable: “The NHS will remain free at the point of use. That was a non-negotiable for me.”
He also condemned government policies affecting farmers and rural communities: “Farmers and rural communities are not the problem. It’s the crazy policies that come out of Cardiff Bay that are the problem.”
Dan Thomas appointed leader of Reform UK in Wales
Farage introduced Dan Thomas as the new leader of Reform in Wales, highlighting his roots in the Valleys and experience in business and local government. “We have somebody here from the Valleys, somebody with considerable business experience, somebody who knows what it is to run big budgets and how difficult it is to be in government,” Farage said.
Thomas sets out Reform’s case for change
Taking to the stage, Thomas launched into a broad critique of Labour and Plaid Cymru, accusing them of 26 years of mismanagement. “The sad truth is that the Labour Party has decimated Wales through inertia and managed decline,” he said. “The real failure in Welsh politics is not just the bad outcomes for its people, it’s the refusal by the people in power to admit what everybody else can see.”
He highlighted education and NHS failings, tax hikes, and housing shortages, warning young people were being priced out: “Young people are being priced out of their towns and villages.”
Thomas also addressed migration and community tensions: “When Labour and Plaid Cymru say to you that you’re not allowed to talk about immigration, they are wrong and they are out of touch.”
Both Thomas and Evans framed the May elections as a decisive moment for Wales. “This is the last chance for Wales,” Thomas said. “We either settle for another four years of the same, or we break the mould.” He promised to campaign energetically, saying: “Wales is broken. Wales needs reform.”
The event concluded with a question-and-answer session with Farage and Thomas, signalling Reform UK’s ambition to play a more prominent role in Welsh politics ahead of the elections.
Discover more from Carmarthenshire News Online
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
