Reform weathers arrest of Welsh leader and defection as Farage plots crypto union to dodge Labour donor ban

From the Newshound archive · first published 20 September 2026.

Dan Thomas, Reform's leader in the Welsh Senedd, was arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour last Sunday before standing down as leader, while a Reform Senedd member defected to Plaid Cymru days later. The twin blows came as senior aide Arron Banks revealed Reform plans to create a new trade union — the Allied Computer & Crypto Workers Union — to funnel donations from cryptocurrency billionaires and sidestep Labour's proposed ban on foreign donors. Farage's party also beat the Greens and swept out Conservatives in Bassetlaw by-elections, suggesting the turbulent week has done little to dent its electoral appeal.

Thomas, who remains a Reform MS for Casnewydd Islwyn, said he had 'done nothing wrong' and was 'released without charge'.

Banks said a 'Red Wave' campaign would also flood existing trade unions with Reform supporters to engineer a 'reverse takeover' of Labour-aligned organisations.