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Nigel Farage has refuted claims of engaging in discussions with James Evans regarding the former senior Welsh Conservative’s potential move to Reform UK.
Darren Millar, the Welsh Conservative leader, dismissed Senedd member Evans on Tuesday after Evans admitted to having spoken with Reform about joining their party.
However, the Reform leader has stated that he has not personally spoken with Evans.
Evans, now an independent member of the Welsh Parliament, asserted that the Conservative party no longer aligns with his values and confirmed the revocation of his membership.
When questioned about whether anyone within Reform had discussed joining the party with Evans, Reform declined to comment.
On Tuesday, Evans was removed from the Welsh Conservative shadow cabinet and had the party whip withdrawn by Millar.
The Tory Senedd leader stated that this action was taken after Evans allegedly admitted to “continuing to engage with Reform representatives about the possibility of defecting,” despite having provided “personal assurances” on Friday that he had rejected such an approach.
Evans stated on Facebook Tuesday evening: “I was asked by the chief whip whether I had been in talks with Reform.
“I gave an honest answer and said that I had. 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.”
He added: “The whip was removed primarily because I raised serious concerns about the refusal of the UK Conservative Party to recognise the reality that our country is broken. I believe Britain is broken.”
Reform has yet to issue an official response to the controversy.
On X, Farage dismissed claims of having discussed a potential defection with Evans.
He stated: “This is not true. I have not spoken to Mr Evans for a couple of years.”
Evans formerly served as the Welsh Conservatives’ health spokesperson, a prominent role within the Senedd.
He stated that he will be making a decision on his “political future” shortly.
Speculation regarding Evans’ potential defection intensified following a BBC interview on Sunday, during which he criticized UK party leader Kemi Badenoch and declined to confirm whether he had spoken with Reform.
Additionally, he edited a Facebook post on Monday to remove a reference to his party.
In his role as Tory shadow health secretary, he provided commentary on the Welsh government’s approach to the NHS on behalf of his party.
“I will take some time in the coming weeks to consider my political future,” said Evans, who represents Brecon and Radnorshire.
He added: “I have been concerned for some time over the direction of the Conservative party at a UK level and I feel it no longer represents my conservative values and beliefs.
“Politics should be a broad church of views and opinions, and it is a sad day when the party does not allow free speech or criticism.”
Millar stated that Evans had been unable to give him 100% commitment to the party.
He said: “I was very disappointed and I have to say I feel let down.”
He said Badenoch “fully supports my decision”.
Evans sat as an independent for the first time at first minister’s questions in the Senedd on Tuesday.
First Minister Eluned Morgan told Millar there was “more infighting in your party than the Beckham family” and said Reform was full of “failed Tories”.
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth mocked Evans for “flirting with a party he once called unserious with dangerous rhetoric”.
Evans’s dismissal followed months of rumors, previously denied by him, that he was interested in Reform.
He accused his Senedd Tory colleague Laura Anne Jones of having no principles when she joined Reform in the summer.
He also said Farage will “say anything to get a vote” in a Cardiff Bay debate in 2025.
Evans openly criticized Badenoch at the weekend for disagreeing with Robert Jenrick’s assessment Britain is broken, following Jenrick’s sacking over his own plans to defect to Reform.
Evans told the BBC’s Politics Wales on Sunday: “We have to take some level of responsibility for the mess this country is in.”
He said: “Kemi should reflect on that comment because I don’t think that’s the comment that is being made by the majority of people who support the Conservative Party across the country.”
He refused to engage with questions of whether he was going to follow Jenrick and defect, saying he did not want to get involved in a political “melodrama”.
Asked if he had spoken with Reform about joining, he said: “I’m not getting into what conversations I’ve had.”
Evans will no longer be standing for the Tories in the Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd seat for the Senedd election on 7 May.
It’s expected that the number two on the party list, Rosemarie Harris, will take his place.
Welsh Labour said: “Reform really are proving themselves to be the biggest recycler of Tories.”
Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick, accused the Tories of being in “complete disarray”.
Plaid said if Evans joined Reform it would be “further proof that Reform are just a bunch of ex-Tories who prioritise their careers over solving the issues facing communities across Wales”.
In February, BBC Wales is holding a live debate in Aberystwyth with a panel of politicians ahead of the Senedd election. Click below to apply to be in the audience
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