REFORM'S Senedd chief whip says party members will not be able to vote on their new Welsh leader, after Dan Thomas stepped down yesterday (Tuesday, September 15) in the wake of his arrest on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour at the weekend.

Former Conservative London council leader Thomas was parachuted into the Welsh leadership by national party leader Nigel Farage in February without a vote, before leading the party to 34 seats, second behind Plaid Cymru, at the May Senedd election.

Farage has so far made no comment about his personally selected Welsh leader's resignation.

But Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd MS James Evans has ruled himself out of any leadership race, despite claiming he has "majority support".

The party's chief whip Llŷr Powell said today that Reform's 33 Senedd members - reduced by yesterday's defection of Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg MS Sarah Cooper-Lesadd to Plaid Cymru – would have a vote if there is more than one candidate.

Notwithstanding Farage's personal appointment of Thomas, he told BBC Wales Breakfast: "We've got a constitution. We're following it through.

"Nominations can open and this process, I'm convinced, will be done by the end of the month so we can once again focus on what is the priority... the people of Wales and holding this government to account because of the scary things they're doing right now.

"It's not about trust here. It's about our members wanting us to get on with the vote, with the job at hand.

"I don't see an internal vote as the priority right now."

Questioned on whether Thomas should remain as a Reform member during the police investigation, he added: "The investigation's going on. I'm not going to presume anything."

Party members, reportedly including Thomas, who denies any wrong doing, met to discuss the situation in Cardiff Bay this morning alongside a Reform official from London.

But James Evans, who switched to Reform from the Conservatives last February when Brecon & Radnorshire MS, said: "After having consulted with my family and my wife... I decided on this occasion I will not be putting my name forward for the leadership and running in the contest that will come.

"I hope that the party can unite behind a single candidate, and we can get on with the job of representing the people here in Wales and opposition and fighting for those communities who feel left behind.

"I had majority of support in the group, but I do not think a competition at this time will be beneficial for anybody," he said.

Meanwhile, Reform defector Sarah Cooper-Lesadd, who backs independence for Wales, told BBC Wales: "The party's completely chaotic, it's falling apart at the seams, it really, really is...

““When I came into Reform, I did think that there was a certain element of being a broad church, and that's what I believed.

“It has become extremely narrow, whereas Plaid has a set of values that is values-based, and that's what I believe in.”

News of Thomas' resignation on Tuesday prompted withering comment from opposition parties.

Plaid Cymru Senedd group chair Marc Jones said: "Reform UK is descending into chaos... Reform is interested in division and headlines, not governing Wales."

Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates said: "This is quite incredible news and many questions will need to be answered. Dan Thomas was a personal pick by Nigel Farage and this will surely demonstrate the appalling judgement of the Reform UK leader."

Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Mims Davie said: "Reform are hitting the news for all the wrong reasons - massive crypto donations, on top of the jailing of Nathan Gill (previous Reform leader in Wales) for pro-Russian bribes.

"All this raises serious and deep questions about Reform's judgement and leadership at every level."

And Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said: "The wheels are rapidly coming off Reform in Wales and the entire country."