Dan Thomas

Daniel Thomas (born c. 1981) is a British politician who has served as leader of the opposition in Wales and leader of Reform UK Wales since 2026. He was elected as a member of the Senedd (MS) for Casnewydd Islwyn in the 2026 election.

Thomas previously served as a Member of Barnet London Borough Council for Finchley Church End from 2006 to 2025, and as Leader of Barnet London Borough Council from 2019 to 2022. Formerly a member of the Conservative Party, Thomas defected to Reform UK in 2025.

Thomas was born and raised in the Welsh valleys, originally coming from Blackwood, Caerphilly.^[1] He studied for A-levels at the Coleg Gwent campus in Crosskeys.^[2]

He said he left Wales in 1999 at the age of 18 due to a "lack of opportunities".^[3]

He said he has a background in "financial services, retail banking".^[4]

Thomas served as a Conservative Party councillor on Barnet London Borough Council from 2006 to 2025, serving as leader of the council from 2019 to 2022, and as leader of the opposition Conservative group on the council following 2022.

In the 2010 and 2017 general elections, he was the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Islwyn, coming second both times.^[5]

In the 2016 London Assembly election, he stood as the Conservative candidate for Barnet and Camden.

In 2018 while Dan Thomas was deputy council leader of Barnet, he and the council leader faced calls to resign from the leader of the Labour group on the council, after it came to light that a council worker, who was sentenced to 5 years in prison, had stolen £2 million by fraud from the council while working with Capita between 2016 and 2017.^[6]

Following the birth of his son in summer 2024, he moved away from Barnet and announced he would be standing down from the council in the following year.

Dan Thomas defected to Reform UK in June 2025, stating: "I joined Reform because of their unwavering commitment to defending British culture, identity, and values."^[7] He later resigned from the council on 31 December 2025, leaving a vacant seat heading into the 2026 election; the timing of the resignation meant a by-election was avoided.^[8]

Thomas was announced as Leader of Reform UK Wales on 5 February 2026.^[5] In that announcement, Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, said: "He has voluntarily left London, come back to the Valleys, living in Islwyn, come back to his home, and he's done that because he loves Wales." However, Nation.Cymru reported that a source told it that Thomas had actually moved to Bath, England.^[9] Following speculation in the media about where Thomas lived, Reform UK said: "Dan lives in Wales. Any claim to the contrary is entirely false. He lives here in Wales, where he is raising his young family". They also confirmed that he owns a property portfolio, which included a property in Bath that is rented out and not his main residence.^[10] ITV Wales confirmed they had seen proof that Dan Thomas was added to the electoral roll in the Caerphilly borough area in July 2025. A Reform UK spokesperson said: "Dan is on the electoral roll here in Wales".^[11]

Following a series of controversies relating to the party's selections, Thomas appointed Helen Jenner as the party's deputy leader.^[12]

In the 2026 Senedd election he was elected and became Leader of the Opposition. He will appoint the Thomas shadow cabinet.

In May 2026, Corey Edwards, a man who has appeared to do a Nazi salute, was appointed as an adviser to Thomas. Plaid Cymru and Labour criticised the appointment.^[13]

Thomas has a wife and two young sons. The family moved from Barnet in 2024 so that Thomas and his wife could raise their young sons in the countryside, and live closer to their families in South Wales.^[5]

• List of Conservative Party defections to Reform UK