Ex-Tory would be great asset for us, says Reform's only MS

Reform's only member of Wales' parliament has said a Conservative sacked for holding talks with her party would be a "great asset" were he to join.

Laura Anne Jones, who herself defected from the Welsh Tories to Reform, said Evans is a "fantastic MS" but added her party "won't just take anybody".

Reform is yet to confirm whether it will admit Evans, who was kicked out of the Tories on Tuesday after he told officials he had spoken to Nigel Farage's party about defecting.

Reform's Welsh press spokesman declined to give a statement, while Evans has been approached for comment.

Evans has not said publicly whether he would join Reform, but that he had spoken to the party.

Farage said via his X social media account on Tuesday evening that claims he had spoken to Evans personally about a defection were not true.

Jones, who represents South Wales East in the Senedd, told ITV Cymru Wales' Sharp End programme that she not been "privy" to conversations involving Evans.

"But James is a fantastic MS," she said.

"I think that he would be a great asset to our party. He says many of the right things, but we talk to an awful lot of people from all different parties. We're a mixed bag in that regard.

"But we won't just take anybody. We have a vetting process, a very strong one.

"People have to share the same values as us... and be absolutely dead set on our mission to get Wales and Britain back on its feet."

Jones said Evans's criticism of her move to Reform last summer was him "just playing the game" and "absolutely fine".

Tom Giffard, Conservative MS for South West Wales, said it was a "good thing" that Evans had quit.

"People know when they vote Welsh Conservatives at that Senedd election, that they are voting for true authentic conservatives that believe in that low tax agenda.

"We know Reform does not believe in any of that, so if he [Evans] has had that 'road to Damascus' and changed everything he's ever thought over the last four years, then Reform are very welcome to him."

Evans confirmed late on Tuesday that his membership had been revoked from the Tories.

Senedd Tory leader Darren Millar said Evans revealed he was "continuing to engage with Reform representatives about the possibility of defecting", despite giving "personal assurances" on Friday he had rejected an approach.

Evans said in a Facebook post that he was "asked by the chief whip" Paul Davies "whether I had been in talks with Reform".

"I gave an honest answer and said that I had," he wrote.

"Those discussions were mainly about the serious challenges our country faces and the need to ensure we do not end up with a hard left Plaid Cymru/Green Party coalition."

Evans claimed the whip was removed "because I raised serious concerns about the refusal of the UK Conservative Party to recognise the reality that our country is broken.".

Last weekend Evans, MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, used a BBC interview to criticise the UK Tory leader Kemi Badenoch for insisting Britain was not broken.

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