Reform's 'challenging' week: Welsh leader arrested, MS defects, as party vows AI war on benefit cheats

From the Newshound archive · first published 20 September 2026.

Reform UK's Welsh leader Dan Thomas stepped down after being arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour, with a Senedd member defecting to Plaid Cymru in the same week. Thomas said he was released on bail and had "done nothing wrong," but the damage was swift. Fresh Ipsos polling puts Labour four points ahead of Reform nationally, with 58 per cent now calling the party "extreme." Meanwhile, Robert Jenrick used a newspaper column to pledge that a Reform government would deploy AI to "wage war on benefit cheats."

Reform's Welsh chief whip admitted it had been a 'challenging' week but insisted the party had 'come through it.'

A new Ipsos poll puts Labour on 27 per cent and Reform on 23 per cent, with six in ten voters saying Reform is not ready for government.

Jenrick claims AI could save taxpayers billions by slashing benefit fraud and cutting NHS admin, freeing doctors and nurses for ward time.