Reform UK's decision not to elect a leader in Wales is disrespectful to Welsh voters

Reform, though registered as a political party, is actually the personal property of Niger Farage. Any membership fees go straight to him! No wonder they don’t have a Welsh leader; they have an Engkish owner!

The Welsh public have to be made aware of just what a charlatan party Reform is. No leader, no policies. Come the run up to the election who will do the debating? Their unelected spokesperson in England? However, the more we criticize the party - the more people will vote for it. A simple one liner would be sufficient- "An English party, with no policies and no Welsh leader. Good for Cymru? No". And leave it at that.

At least two of those mentioned are "on-the-square", as are their counterparts in other parties. One of those mentioned may be HnH in disguise! What a wonderful choice! It makes me really want to get out there and vote for the first time!

Really enjoyed this take. It seems Reform are a bigger threat to Wales than once thought. Hopefully Nigel Farage will play politics in Wales as much as he does in Clacton (zilch)! Going to send this to my Reform supporting relative, hopefully the insight might help…

I agree wholly with Alwyn Evan's post higher up this thread. Reform, as yet, isn't at all a political party in the generally accepted understanding of that word. It's merely a personal and private fiefdom of Mr Farage. But even so I can see the point of their declining to appoint a leader of their faction in Wales. Given that they have currently no seats at all in the Senedd, on what basis could they currently choose a leader? Because it's wholly conceivably that, were they to choose someone, he or she might well fail to be elected in next year's Senedd election. And if so, what would they do then? It'd absolutely be an 'egg on your face' situation.

If they are "disrespecting Wales", then it is up to the Welsh electorate to reject them or otherwise, the words of sanctimonious "vicars" will merely add fuel to a fire. And when has the Welsh electorate NOT been disrespected? And not been treated as collateral to the career aspirations of those higher up the social ladder? You want change... "We give you wind & rhetoric, all forgotten by next Monday, along with our current leader". Until that's addressed, if ever, the chasm of popular disillusionment is the vastly expanding seed bed of the Right.

Wales is used to disrespect from all political parties with one, notably Welsh exception. Brexit Party / Reform's continued existence is disrespectful to everybody capable of rational thought and decent behaviour.

Unfortunately the people intending to vote for them won’t care. They want to give the established parties a kicking and see Reform as the vehicle to do it. It’s a seductive political snake oil that Farage sells; which is like a drug to many disengaged, angry and disillusioned members of the public - of which there are many thanks to the last 15yrs of austerity and managed decline. Don’t underestimate the power of simple solutions to complex issues and a minority demographic to blame, it’s a human trait built in to democracies which has been around since Ancient Greece. As the public at large are so ill-informed on matters historical, Farage and Reform are only going to get stronger until they have responsibilities and let people down or another force emerges to challenge.

You think the majority of the public are well informed on historical matters? I was very specific, not as general as you allege. Following your logic then are you saying all Reform voters are clear eyed on and quite like the clear parallels with the populist right movements of Italy and Germany in the late 1920s early 30s then? I was giving the benefit of the doubt, think your prognosis is much more grim.

Or you could simply correct any inaccuracy.

Presumably they have the same "problem" as the Welsh Cons who also don't have a leader. To quote this media outlet from last January: >> A Welsh Conservative source, who did not wish to be identified, said: “Andrew may like to think he’s the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, but he isn’t. Unlike in the case of the Scottish Conservatives, which is a fully-fledged entity in its own respect, there is no stand-alone Welsh Conservative Party, with its own constitution. The Welsh party is essentially an offshoot of the English party, and It would therefore be right to say that its leader is Rishi Sunak. << You can't have a leader in a nation you don't believe should exist.

They claim to be the new chartists so where is their charter? Without this we are all ill-informed about their real intentions.

Always defending the dodgy. Makes your values appear low

Quite true, most people are capable of "independent thought and informed decision making" . The problem is, they need hard facts and policies to make those decisions. The Clacton Cowboy hasn't really got an answer to anything except peddling the same old tripe about immigrants for this country's ills.

Pathetic Farage fluffer.😂

For those unsure about the claim that Reform are limited company, here is the proof https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11694875

It doesn’t elude me at all, it’s just that I’m repulsed by it not attracted by it. I guess that’s the difference between us, Adrian.

Oh Adrian why do you lie so much. When it's so easy to discredit what you say. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11694875

Does anyone on this site understand how angry the electorate are with the political solutions on offer? Everything that has been said about Reform UK is true, but what options do we have as voters?

I would imagine that a large number of the people who are going to vote for Reform don’t care at all about who owns it. They probably see the people who are doing the job at the moment and don’t rate them very highly. They vote for anyone who offers change. Labour have had enough time to use Wales as an example of what they can do and have spent most of it moaning about having Conservatives in Westminster. Labour are now in Westminster and have shown that they aren’t interested in the Senedd. Anyone who comes along with a good sales pitch and offers everything to everyone is going to receive a significant number of votes which in this new system will be interesting. There may well be a number of voters who feel that they can protest to Westminster by voting Reform in our election because ‘it’s only for the Senedd’ So they feel it won’t affect them much. The people running Wales at the moment have left us in a very vulnerable position. We are living in interesting times.

Imo, the reason Reform aren't willing to elect a Welsh leader yet is to allow Farage to take centre stage in the Senedd elections. TV debates, radio debates, interviews- it'll be Farage, Farage, Farage. Unfortunately, I think Reform stand a good chance of being the biggest party in the Senedd next year. Reform can reach those parts of an angry electorate other parties can't. Including those (over 50%) who don't tend to vote in Senedd elections.

Anyone considering voting for Reform UK in Wales should not only seek professional help but also know what they stand for and what are their policies for Wales . I'll answer. As said previously. They have none. Reform UK is a political turd that's covered in sawdust to make it more palatable to voters. If you don't want to vote Ukip or Brexit Party anymore why then vote for those you already rejected twice before. It doesn't make sense? They are one and the same party. Wake up. Don't be a useful idiot to Farage & Tice. One of Donald Trump's first loves. The poorly educated. Nigel Farage is a multimillionaire who spends more time in being Trump's footstool in Florida than he does working for his constituents in Clackton. And former Reform leader Richard Tice , hater of Muslims, now lives ironically in the United Arab Emirates with his big mouthed wife Isobel Oakshott, this likely to avoid paying tax in the UK. Oh, and will they learn Arabic living there seeing they insisted all immigrants moving to Britain "MUST" learn English on entering, doesn't apply to Welsh mind if moving to Welsh speaking areas of Wales. Like hell they will. It's, "do as I say not as I do", for these little England hypocrites! Also, it's said that former Senedd member Nathan Gill eventually will be made Reform's leader in Wales if they gain seats in 2026. This a man who refused flat to learn Welsh living in Welsh speaking heartland of Ynys Mon, who did nothing positive during his time in the Senedd as a Ukip/Brexit Party member. The wheely bins were more productive that he was. If you want to see what Reform UK are all about just take Brexit as a fine example. Since we officially left the EU there's been an explosion of migrants crossing the channel. Apparently Nigel Farage said leaving meant we finally could control our boarders lol. Oh sure Nigel. Being part of the EU had control working with our French counterparts. In 2010 had only 16,000 awaiting processing until we foolishly voted to leave the EU in 2016, then the s**** hit the fan. Now we "control our borders as of June 2024 have over 224,742 cases. A question. Can you remember any migrant using rubber dinghies to cross the channel before we left the EU? I can't . What I do recall are those stuck in camps in Calais trying & failing to get into trucks where authorities checked trucks using CO2 monitors to test if stowaways were hiding. And what's Reform UK's opinion of Welsh devolution, and do they advocate more powers to our Senedd? I can recall Reform's old guise Ukip actively seeking candidates to stand in the Senedd elections that were pro abolishing the then Assembly. The very same who argued Europe stole our sovereignty & power wanted then and still do now to take away our democratic voice. I wouldn't trust Reform with my spit let alone give them any responsibility. Yes, use your vote , just don't waste it.

They are waiting for Andrew R T Davies to join!