Ajay Owen, a Welsh-speaking Reform UK member from Preseli, had hoped to stand in the new Ceredigion Penfro seat at the 2026 Senedd election. But in a series of public statements, Owen said he had cancelled his membership after being blocked from party communications and ignored by Reform HQ.
He claims that three members of the Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Reform board, including branch chair Stewart Marchant, have already been pre-selected as candidates without a democratic vote, while other hopefuls are still being asked to pay fees to apply.
In a Facebook post published on 17 September, Owen wrote:
“Reform in Pembrokeshire & Ceredigion HAVE already selected their Senedd Members for 2025 without an actual vote… It is rigged from the get-go.”
He added that candidates would be announced only months before the election “to throw other political parties off” and minimise scrutiny over campaign spending.
Fees and blocked communications
Owen says he paid a £50 application fee and was later asked for a further £150 to attend an assessment day, despite being told that candidates had already been chosen.
He alleges that after giving a personal statement on immigration and the Schools of Sanctuary programme, he was removed from Reform group chats and blocked from contacting the branch.
In a blog post on his website, Owen wrote:
“The Chair continued to make fun out of the way I spoke – with other Board members even agreeing that his actions were extreme… BUT, did they speak up for me? No.”
He also claimed that Reform UK discouraged his association with Dan Morgan, co-founder of the far-right group Voice of Wales, after the pair appeared in a local newspaper article about refugee support in schools.
Controversial association and disputed claims
The row escalated after Owen appeared in a local newspaper article alongside Morgan, who stood for UKIP in the 2021 Senedd election for Swansea East and was later convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud, receiving a suspended jail sentence for his role in an insurance scam.
The pair had circulated claims about a Pembrokeshire school’s involvement in the Schools of Sanctuary programme, alleging children were encouraged to write Valentine cards to adult asylum seekers.
The charity later issued a statement refuting the claims, saying pupils had written short, anonymous welcome messages such as “Welcome to our town” and “We hope you feel safe here.” It said no personal information was shared and that the activity was age-appropriate, teacher-led, and in line with school safeguarding policies.
Owen says he was reprimanded by Reform UK for giving a personal statement on the issue without consulting the branch chair.
Reform’s presence in South West Wales
Owen’s resignation comes amid growing scrutiny of Reform UK’s internal operations in Wales. Earlier this year, two Reform councillors were elected in Llanelli by-elections, and a Mumbles councillor defected from the Conservatives to join Reform, marking a shift in the party’s visibility across South West Wales.
Owen says the party is not fit to represent Wales:
“Reform may be the best option for the UK, but they are not the best party for Wales – that is fact and that is a promise.”
He says he is now considering launching a new Wales-only political movement.
Reform UK was invited to comment but has not responded.
Vote reform