Reform Candidate Withdraws from Senedd Election and Party
A Reform candidate has withdrawn from standing in May's Senedd election and announced he will leave the party, stating that the experience has shattered his "belief in politics." Andrew Barry made this announcement amid reports of internal dissatisfaction within Reform regarding the practice of "parachuting" candidates into constituencies from outside the local area and concerns over the number of defections from the Conservative Party.
Party sources indicated that there was notable anger about candidates being placed in seats without local ties and frustration over the influx of former Conservative members joining Reform. However, BBC Wales has been informed that Reform maintains all candidates were selected through a uniform scoring system.
It is understood that Reform contacted its prospective candidates over the weekend, leading some to decide to withdraw their candidacies. These withdrawals reportedly delayed the party's plans to announce its full list of candidates. The party eventually published its candidate list on Wednesday evening.
Details of Candidate Withdrawal and Selection Controversy
Andrew Barry had been a contender to stand as a candidate in the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr seat but confirmed his withdrawal after learning that Jason O'Connell would be the lead candidate on Reform's list for the constituency. O'Connell is a councillor in Torfaen and has been a prominent media figure for Reform in Wales.
Barry expressed his disappointment with the party's direction, stating:
"I thought this was what I had been waiting for – a party that could break the cartel of Labour and Plaid Cymru alliances, only to find over the past few months that things have not quite added up."
"We finally thought someone was there for people at the heart of the valleys and it's left me bereft of belief."
He characterized O'Connell as an "ex-Tory" and voiced concerns about the increasing number of former Conservatives within Reform:
"This will not go down well. There are too many Tories now in the party.
If Reform believes that putting a former Conservative into the heart of the valleys will go well, then they are wrong."
"It has left a bitter taste that no one cares about Merthyr."
O'Connell was previously an independent councillor before joining Nigel Farage's party and briefly served as a Conservative, a decision he has described as "a mistake." Barry also noted that he and local party members had been assured they would have a final say on candidate selection in their area. Without this input, he felt compelled to withdraw.
Internal Party Turmoil and Candidate Selection Process
Another candidate reported informing Welsh party leader Dan Thomas that he would not stand due to the practice of parachuting candidates from other parts of Wales. Sources described Reform branches as being "in turmoil" over the candidate selection plans.
"Branches generally meet once a month, but they have had no say in the selection of candidates,"
"All of that was done in assessment centres and decided by London."
There has reportedly been "radio silence" since the assessment centres held in January, and the number of Conservative defections has caused significant frustration among members. In Wales, two former Conservative Members of the Senedd (MSs), Laura Anne Jones and James Evans, have joined Reform, along with several councillors who have defected.
A separate source told BBC Wales:
"The only thing anyone cares about is the top one or two places."
"When the party tells people who want to be elected that they are in position five then those people will walk and it is then tough to replace them."
The party maintains that all candidates were selected through the same process and that the majority have not previously stood for a political party.
Senedd Election Voting System and Candidate Deadlines
Under the Senedd's new voting system, voters select the party of their choice, with the party determining the order of its candidates. Each of the 16 constituencies will return six MSs in an expanded 96-seat Parliament. Political parties have until 9 April to declare their candidate lists for the May election.
