Dan Thomas: The ex-London council leader in charge of big Senedd opposition group

Reform's Welsh leader Dan Thomas might not have achieved his goal of becoming Wales' next first minister, with Plaid Cymru now the largest party in Cardiff Bay.

But Reform are by far the largest opposition party in the new, expanded Senedd chamber, with 34 out of the 96 seats.

Not bad for someone who entered Welsh frontline politics only three months ago, chosen by Nigel Farage to front Reform's operation in Wales.

By then, opinion polls had consistently suggested the party was on course to win a substantial number of seats on 7 May, with Thomas its new candidate for first minister.

At his first appearance as Welsh leader - alongside Farage at a Reform rally in Newport - Thomas emphasised his roots in Blackwood, saying he was "born and raised in the Welsh valleys, where my family lived for generations".

Both his grandfather and great‑grandfather were miners, he said, and he spoke warmly about his childhood in Wales, explaining that he left as an adult because opportunities were "few and far between".

Thomas went on to work in financial services in London before entering local politics, becoming a councillor and later Conservative leader of Barnet Council in north London.

During that period, he stood twice as a Conservative candidate in the Islwyn constituency, at the 2010 and 2017 general elections, finishing second to Labour's Chris Evans on both occasions.

He led Barnet Council from 2019 until 2022, and then served as opposition leader after Labour won control, remaining in the role until May 2024.

In June 2025, Thomas defected from the Conservatives to Reform and resigned as a councillor later that year.

Local media reported that he and his wife had moved away from Barnet so they could raise their young sons in the countryside and live closer to family in south Wales.

Explaining his choice of Thomas for Wales leader, Farage described him as "decent", "respectable" and "battle‑hardened", citing his experience of running budgets and leading a council.

Thomas was soon battling parts of the media, dismissing reports that he did not live in Wales as "smear attempts" by the "Welsh establishment and their supporters".

A property he owned near Bath, he said, formed part of a "portfolio" and was not his home.

"I am living and have been living in Wales," he told BBC Politics Wales, later stating that he was based in Caerphilly borough.

Answering questions from BBC Radio Wales listeners a couple of days later, Thomas said police were investigating "nasty online threats" against him and his family and "there have been some strange people lurking outside the house".

Anticipating criticism that he would retain control over Welsh decision‑making, Farage insisted policy would be set by Reform's leadership in Wales, adding that he was "not a hard‑line dictator".

Asked later about possible post‑election cooperation with the Conservatives, Farage told the BBC that Thomas was "our leader in Wales and he will make those decisions", though "in consultation with me".

As the campaign progressed and Reform candidates were announced, Thomas moved to distance himself from some of their remarks, including claims that abuse in nurseries would "skyrocket" if parents received more free childcare.

Despite his short time in Welsh politics, Thomas maintained his composure through an intense schedule of televised appearances during the election campaign.

He has sought to present himself as a practical, experienced figure, highlighting his record of managing large budgets at Barnet Council, contrasting his background with that of Plaid Cymru leader, and polling rival, Rhun ap Iorwerth, an ex-BBC journalist.

He will now head up a large group of Reform politicians, many of whom have little or no experience of day-to-day politics.

Rival parties are quick to remind us of the Cardiff Bay episode involving one of Farage's previous parties in 2016.

In May of that year, seven UKIP members were elected but their group rapidly imploded amidst bitter in-fighting.

For a politician new to Welsh frontline politics, the learning curve for Thomas in the election campaign was steep, and largely played out in public.

After celebrating the remarkable Reform progress at this Senedd election, now comes the serious business of establishing a disciplined Reform group, a world away from that UKIP debacle a decade ago.