Reform UK's last female Welsh branch chair resigns

Emily Price 

The last remaining female Reform UK branch chair in Wales has resigned, citing ‘personal reasons’, amid an internal row over the lack of elections for senior party positions.

The announcement that Julie Price had quit her role as Reform's Newport and Islwyn branch chair was sent to members in an email this week.

She is the tenth Reform Wales branch chair to leave her role within the last few months.

A copy of the correspondence sent to members by the new branch chair - Kevin Preston - was leaked to Nation.Cymru by a concerns Reform member.

[mid-content-banner]

'Personal reasons'

It stated: "For those of you who weren't at the last branch meeting there have been some changes in the make up of the committee.

"Our first interim chair, Julie Price, has resigned for personal reasons and myself, as the previous interim deputy chair has taken over as interim chair.

"Darren Crandon was elected at the meeting as the new interim deputy chair.

"We were unable to have the SGM and will therefore continue as an interim branch.

"The next branch meeting will be held on Thursday 9th October at the usual venue Newport Golf Club.

"The agenda is not fully decided yet, we will let you know in due course. We had intended to have a social eying 'curry night'  but have decided to postpone this until November."

[lower-mid-content-banner]

'Victim'

It is understood that Ms Price's replacement was appointed by Reform's regional director for Wales, Torfaen Councillor David Thomas, without a democratic vote.

A senior Reform UK source told us: "David Thomas is a misogynist who has now bullied off the last female Reform UK branch chair in Wales.

"This is the tenth victim and we just keep getting told that there's 'still no time for elections'."

We contacted former branch chair Julie Price and asked the following questions:

*Why was it you stepped down from your role?

*It's been suggested that some of the other female branch chairs felt they were forced out. Is that something you experienced too?

She did not respond. We called Ms Price and offered her another chance to provide a comment but part way through the conversation she shouted, "I have nothing to say," then hung up the phone.

It comes amid a growing internal row within Reform's Welsh branches over the lack of democrat votes to decide chairpersons.

Rows

Cllr Thomas was appointed the role of regional director for Wales by Reform chairman, Zia Yusuf, earlier this year.

It followed the departure of interim director of the party in Wales – Kirsty Walmsley who was made redundant.

A Reform insider told us that after Walmsely was ejected by the party, Cllr Thomas began dismissing branch chairs and replacing them with "interim branch chairs".

It is understood that members had been promised a democratic vote to elect chairpersons – but after several months in the role, Cllr Thomas has yet to arrange this.

Our source said: "David will just come up with a spurious story and say ‘you’re out’. Some people resigned – but they were forced resignations."

10 out of Reform’s 16 branch chairs in Wales have now been removed – the most high profile casualty being former Senedd Member Caroline Jones who was dismissed as chair of Reform’s Bridgend and Glamorgan branch.

We asked David Thomas a series of questions:

*Is there now no female branch chairs in Wales at all?

*Why did Julie Price step aside in Newport?

*Was there a vote to replace her or did you yourself make the decision to appoint Kevin Preston?

*Will there ever be a vote by Reform branch members to appoint chairpeople?

*Some members have told me you keep telling them there isn’t time for a vote. Why is that?

Thomas did not respond.

We reached out to him again and offered him another chance to give his side of the story - but he did not respond.