Emily Price
A Reform UK Member of the Senedd has been sharply rebuked after he suddenly began referring to his party as “Reform Cymru”.
Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf MS Cai Parry-Jones said it was a pleasure to open a debate calling for local referendums on council tax increases on Wednesday (October 14) on behalf of “Reform UK Cymru”.
Later during his speech, Parry-Jones referenced a “Reform Cymru councillor” on Anglesey who had voted against proposals to spend £1.1 million swapping household black bins for smaller ones.
Reform UK’s Welsh branch is officially called Reform UK Wales, but is also sometimes known as “Reform Wales”.
The word “Cymru” – which is the Welsh-language name for Wales – is heavily associated with Welsh nationalism and Wales’ governing pro-independence party Plaid Cymru.
Reform UK deliberately positions itself as the ideological opposite of Plaid Cymru, arguing that Welsh identity and the Welsh flag belong to everyone, not just nationalist parties.
Reform Wales officially translates its name to “Diwygio DU Cymru” in its bilingual communications and does not usually use the name “Reform Cymru”.
Following Parry-Jones’ contribution, Plaid Cymru MS Sarah Cooper-Lesadd hit out at the Reform MS for appearing to rebrand his party.
Opening her speech, Cooper-Lesadd said: “Before I start, let’s be honest, Reform UK Wales is what you name yourself, not Reform Cymru.
“Reform Cymru does not exist.”
Parry-Jones could be seen on Senedd cameras looking around at his group as heckling broke out on Reform UK’s benches.
Speaking to Nation.Cymru after the exchange, Cooper-Lesadd said: “As Dan Thomas once told me, Reform Wales isn’t the name, it is Reform UK.
“In that same vain, Reform Cymru doesn’t exist, it has little autonomy or ability to make its own decisions.
“Policy and strategy is mainly generated by HQ.”
Cooper-Lesadd defected from Reform UK to Plaid Cymru in September just four months after being elected under Nigel Farage’s turquoise banner.
She claimed the party was “completely chaotic,” had “no interest” in governing Wales, and was more focused on creating division, opposition, and chasing headlines.
Since her departure, Reform UK’s elected figures have continually targeted her, with the latest criticism including claims by Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg MS Gareth Thomas that she doesn’t visit her own constituency.
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