TORFAEN COUNCILLORS WALK INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS

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The three Llantarnam ward councillors — who will sit as a group of three on the Labour-controlled council — dismissed any suggestion of calling a by-election, insisting they would continue to represent local people in the same way and would have "no constraints". Mr Slade said he liked Reform's aim of "saving on bureaucracy" and would like to see fewer councils in Wales. "We've still got 22 councils," he added. "Now they've added extra tiers of public service boards, regional partnership boards. It's a mess, frankly." Mr Thomas said more money should be going towards "frontline services" instead of managers.
Questioned about comments from 2019 when he described himself as a socialist, Mr Thomas said: "Yeah, I would say I've still got socialist values." Reform's recent general election manifesto contained various pledges to cut taxes which, according to Sky News analysis, would have disproportionately benefited high earners. Asked if the proposed tax cuts tallied with his socialist values, Mr Thomas said: "I've got more experience now in local government.

"I've learned so much more now, being a councillor the past seven years, you adapt and change and move forward, don't you?" he added. Earlier this year Mr Anderson accused "socialists in disguise" of destroying the Tory party, while Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice branded the Labour and Conservative leaders "socialist twins".

Asked what views he shared with Reform, Mr O'Connell said: "On a national level I do like the idea of NHS reform and improving transportation links throughout the Welsh infrastructure. I do like the idea of local government reform." It comes after Reform's calls during the general election campaign for the UK to move to a French-style insurance-based health model. Questioned on what NHS reform he is hoping for, Mr O'Connell said: "I'd like see a more effective use of the budget received [by Wales] from Westminster."

During the press huddle, none of the councillors brought up immigration, which was Mr Farage's most frequent talking point during the election campaign. Asked if he felt immigration levels had been harmful to Torfaen, Mr Thomas replied: "I'd have to see the stats on that." He was also asked about the controversy over Mr Farage questioning whether police had been withholding the truth about the Southport killings, which preceded days of riots in parts of Britain. "Nigel Farage was just asking a question," said Mr Thomas. "I think it was much worse when a [now-suspended] Labour councillor talked about slicing the throats of what he deemed far-right thugs."

Mr Slade added: "There are no constraints on us. We can take the party down the route of community focus and community values. [Immigration] is for the main party to deal with." The councillors also said their move would see them "gain access to greater resources" while working with Reform to "advocate for the most vulnerable". It comes after Ian Michael Williams, Reform's general election candidate for Torfaen, finished in second place, with 7,322 fewer votes than Labour's Nick Thomas-Symonds.

Reform won no Welsh seats in the general election but did achieve 16.9% of the vote share, which put the party in third place and just 1.3% behind the Tories in second. The new councillors were welcomed by Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield, who praised their "bold" decision and described the 2026 Senedd election as "a massive target". He declined to give a number of seats the party is targeting but said: "There is a feeling people have had enough of the two mainstream parties. They want a party that actually listens to them rather than just ignores them."

But does he support the existence of the Senedd? "I think we are one country and that extra layer, it does slow things down. We've seen how the health service has suffered in Wales under Labour. Absolutely awful, it's a disgrace. If we run things as a proper country together, then maybe things like the health service in Wales would be much better."

Would a Welsh Government led by Reform bring an end to the Welsh Government? "I don't know, you'd have to ask the membership," replied Mr Anderson. "We're going to democratise the party and the power base will be with the members. They will develop policy and decide what we're going to do, not people like me." But what about his personal view? "I'd get rid of all devolved governments tomorrow. All of them. I think they're a waste of time. They're damaging the countries."

Shortly afterwards a Reform press officer told WalesOnline there are some "abolish-minded" figures in the party but it is "unlikely" that scrapping the Senedd will be the party's aim going into the 2026 election. He added that Reform has been speaking with other councillors in Wales about potential defections in the near future.

Mr Anderson addressed recent criticism over reports his party's leader was earning more than £1million a year to present GB News on top of his £91,346 MP's salary. Mr Farage has since said the reported monthly figure of £97,928 from the TV channel actually covered several months of work and was paid to his company, which had "significant expenses".

Asked if Mr Farage was treating his constituents as a priority, having only spoken in Parliament twice since he was elected, Mr Anderson claimed this was more than some other MPs and argued that the people of Clacton knew about Mr Farage's presenting role when they voted for him. "That's nothing to do with you," he said. "That's up to the electorate in Clacton, and they voted for him. That's democracy. You might not like it, but that's democracy."