Ex-UKIP leader Caroline Jones dies days after standing in Welsh election

UKIP's former leader in the Welsh Parliament Caroline Jones has died just days after standing in the Senedd election.

Jones, 71, became ill with severe sepsis on the night of the election result on 8 May, having attended the count for votes at Barry Leisure Centre the same day.

She died in Morriston Hospital in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Her husband, Alun Williams, told BBC Wales she was a "fantastic woman" who was well-liked in the Senedd and "couldn't do enough for other people".

Jones served as an MS for South Wales West from May 2016 to May 2021, and was seeking to return to the Senedd as an independent candidate for the Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg constituency.

She had originally been announced as a Reform UK candidate for another constituency, but left Nigel Farage's party in April claiming the party had ignored grassroots members.

Her husband, who works in the Senedd, said Jones was taken to Morriston Hospital in Swansea after becoming ill on the evening of the election count.

Williams said his wife had suffered pneumonia, sepsis and a hospital bug at Christmas, but her illness last weekend had "come out of the blue".

"She was a fantastic woman - she couldn't do enough for other people," he said.

Williams said that included helping a homeless family find somewhere to stay with a council after they approached her at around 21:00 BST the day before she went into hospital.

He also said she had given away a salary increase to charity when she took up a role as a Senedd commissioner - a job which helps oversee the operation of the parliament.

"I've had people in the house at 01:00 in the morning, asking Caroline for advice," Williams said.

"It was like a calling for her, to help people."

Williams said Jones was well respected when she was a Member of the Senedd (MS), and well-liked among the different political parties.

"A lot of people from other parties all got on with her. People in the canteen were in tears when they found out she was in hospital again," he said.

He added that his wife was "very very upset" that she couldn't return to the Senedd.

Jones was born in Llwynypia Hospital in Rhondda in 1955, and had trained as a drama and PE teacher, later setting up up her own cafes in Porthcawl and Bridgend.

Until 2005 she spent over seven years working as a prison officer at HMP Parc, Bridgend.

Jones had made history as one of the seven UKIP members elected for the first time to the Senedd's predecessor, the Welsh Assembly, back in 2016.

With UKIP beset by infighting, Jones was one of the party's three leaders in Cardiff Bay, after she successfully ousted former Conservative MP Neil Hamilton from the job.

She later joined the Brexit Party, and led the Independent Alliance for Reform until 2021, before becoming a volunteer regional manager for Reform.

Llŷr Powell, Reform MS for Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, said on X: "I have known Caroline Jones for over 15 years and I am shocked and saddened by today's news. My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones at this difficult time."

"Gorffwys mewn hedd [rest in peace]", he added.

Owain Clatworthy, a former Reform councillor in Bridgend who is now with Restore Britain, said Jones "carried herself with resilience through both political and personal challenges, always remaining true to who she was".

"Caroline believed in the importance of democracy, free speech, and standing up for ordinary people," he said.