Dan Thomas, the pro‑independence Reform Wales party’s chief, stepped down on Tuesday after police arrested him on suspicion of assault. The move follows the announcement by Gwent Police that Thomas was detained at a private gathering in the south‑east of Wales.

"I have done nothing wrong," Thomas said, a statement that came as the party’s spokesperson confirmed that the legal process would continue. According to the BBC, Gwent Police released a brief statement that the arrest was part of an ongoing investigation, but no charges have yet been filed.

"I have done nothing wrong," Thomas said.

Reform Wales, founded in 2020 by former Conservative MP and former Assembly minister Mark Drakeford, has positioned itself as a left‑leaning alternative to the Welsh Conservatives and Labour. Thomas, who previously represented Blaenau Gwent in Westminster, was elected party leader in 2023 and has been credited with raising the party’s profile ahead of the upcoming local elections.

The arrest came just weeks before the party’s planned slate of candidates for the May local elections, a timetable that had seen Thomas spearhead outreach to younger voters. The incident could derail the momentum that the party had built, according to a spokesperson for the Welsh Labour Party who noted the “significant impact” on Reform Wales’ campaign schedule.

Historically, the resignation of a party leader following a police arrest is not unheard of in UK politics. Similar situations have led to leadership vacuums in smaller parties, prompting interim arrangements and, in some cases, a decline in voter support.

Reform Wales has announced that it will appoint an interim leader while the investigation proceeds. The party’s executive committee is convening a special meeting to decide on a permanent successor, with the next election campaign at stake. The legal proceedings will determine whether Thomas will face charges, and the outcome could influence the party’s future direction.