Leading Wales Reform figure not a Senedd candidate

Oliver Lewis joined last year's BBC Wales election debate programme alongside leading politicians from other parties

The man who represented Reform UK in Wales during last year's general election campaign is "not a candidate" for the Senedd election in 2026, the party has said.

Oliver Lewis also confirmed he is no longer the party's Welsh spokesperson, following an apparent rift between Lewis and party chair Zia Yusuf over comments Lewis made on immigration.

Speaking to the BBC's Politics Wales programme in January, Lewis said immigration in Wales had been "very limited" and "arguably has been very positive for the economy".

Responding to a clip of the interview on X, Reform UK Chairman Zia Yusuf said "this is not the Reform position".

Reform UK has now said that "Oliver Lewis is not a spokesman for Reform and is not a candidate for 2026".

Lewis himself agreed that he is "not a spokesperson any longer" as he is "now based abroad for work".

Asked about the apparent rift on S4C's Y Byd yn ei Le programme, Reform UK's communications lead in Wales, Llyr Powell, said "that was Oliver's opinion."

He disputed Lewis' title as spokesperson for Reform UK in Wales saying "I'm not sure that was his title".

Powell also denied that Reform UK had demoted Lewis for his comments.

"There wasn't such a role so I'm not sure where this is coming from."

Next year's Senedd election looks set to be the most open since the institution's creation 26 years ago, as Reform is polling neck-and-neck with the ruling Labour Party and Plaid Cymru, ahead of the Conservatives.

Plaid has warned Reform could win the election.

Last summer, Oliver Lewis represented Reform UK in Welsh debates and media interviews during the Westminster election campaign, alongside other Welsh party leaders.

He stood for the Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr seat, coming second to Labour's Steve Witherden.

Lewis was still doing media interviews as Welsh spokesperson for Reform UK until January this year, when he spoke to BBC Politics Wales.

He told the programme: "Wales has had really very limited levels of immigration and the immigration that we have had arguably has been very positive for the economy.

"So immigration is much less of a factor for politics in Wales than say England."

In a statement to BBC Wales on Friday, Reform UK said "Oliver Lewis is not a spokesman for Reform, and is not a candidate for 2026."

Lewis confirmed he is "not a spokesperson any longer" but says "I am still a member and deputy chairman of my branch and supportive of the Reform movement".

"The reason the Reform release said I am not a candidate for 2026 is because we have no candidates yet for 2026."

Additional reporting by Adrian Browne