Welsh Tories reshuffle after MS jumps ship to Reform UK

Emily Price 

The Senedd Conservatives have reshuffled their shadow cabinet after a member of the group defected to Reform UK.

Laura Anne Jones joined Reform's leader Nigel Farage at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells on Tuesday (July 22) to announce she was jumping ship.

The South Wales East MS had not told the Tory Senedd group of her plans beforehand.

Several of her colleagues were expecting her to join them at the party's stand at the show.

Jones had previously held the local government and armed forces brief in the Senedd's shadow cabinet.

On Wednesday (July 23) Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar announced changes to his team.

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Changes

Joel James has been appointed as the new Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Housing.

James Evans is taking on the Armed Forces portfolio to become the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health, Social Care and the Armed Forces.

Natasha Asghar is appointed to a wider portfolio and becomes the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Children, Young People and Education.

Millar said: "I am pleased to announce today's changes to my Shadow Cabinet team.

"The Welsh Conservatives are the only credible alternative to the failing Labour Government here in Wales, and we are the only conservative party that will be on the ballot paper in the Senedd elections next May.

"After 26 years of devolution under Labour, our country is broken, only the Welsh Conservatives will fix Wales."

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'Disappointed'

Jones told reporters in Builth Wales her decision to defect after 31 years as a Conservative member was due to the fact she could no longer justify her party's policies on the doorstep.

Her former colleague Tom Giffard accused her of "barely turning up" to meetings to be part of discussions where she could have contributed to shaping the party.

He added that the Welsh Conservative group had a lot of talented people - but that Jones wasn't one of them.

James Evans - a close friend of Jones - said he was "disappointed" in her decision to defect.

He told ITV journalists at the Royal Welsh that Reform "would have to put up with everything they have got now".

Asked what he meant but the comment, Evans replied: "You'll have to wait and see won't you."

Reform's newest recruit has found herself in hot water several times over the last year.

She is currently at the centre of a Senedd probe over her expenses and office culture.

In May last year, South Wales Police launched an investigation into Jones' expenses following allegations that she had made false mileage claims.

Complaint

The complaint had been referred to the force by the Senedd’s Standards Commissioner Douglas Bain.

Police later dropped their investigation saying no evidence of fraudulent activity had been found.

The outcome of the Bain’s probe is expected to be announced soon - Jones has hinted she is pleased with the outcome.

It is understood that her former chief aide – Ed Sumner – gave evidence to the Bain's investigation.

After leaving Jones' employment several months ago, he joined Reform UK as the party’s communications lead.

Ms Jones was caught up in another controversy when Nation.Cymru revealed a screen grab of a racist slur she had sent her staff.

During a WhatsApp exchange about the Chinese owned video app TikTok, the South Wales East MS sent a message saying: "No chinky spies for me!"

Further text messages sent by the then Conservative Senedd Member were also leaked to the media including jokes about Natasha Asghar's dead father and offensive comments about a staff member she believed had ADHD.