A Reform candidate for this year’s Senedd election has quit just days after the party announced their full list of candidates. Patrick Benham-Croswell, who had been down to stand in the Gŵyr Abertawe constituency, claimed the party had “sunk deeper into the sewer” and betrayed its early members.

Mr Benham-Croswell came second in the Swansea West constituency in the 2024 general election, losing out to Labour’s Torsten Bell by roughly 8,000 votes.

The former candidate was ranked in fifth place for the Gŵyr Abertawe constituency when Reform published their full list on Wednesday, March 25. In his parting statement, he said he’d been ranked fifth “to an ex-Tory on the make and three novices”.

While he said his decision to quit had not been “sour grapes” for his ranking, he said it had confirmed to him what he’d feared about the party – that it was no longer open or honest. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Writing on Facebook, Mr Benham-Croswell said: “Having been an active member of Reform since it was founded, and the Brexit Party before that, it is with some sadness that I resign. In truth, Reform has left me.

“The party I joined and helped build had a clear vision of how to solve our country’s problems: better politicians who care more about the people they serve than their careers. That’s how we fought the 2024 general election, winning 14.3% of the vote across the UK. In Swansea, I came in second, with 17.5% of the vote.

“The “professionalisation” of the party has led it to take its members and candidates for granted. Communications that once began “Thank you” now more often start “You are required to…”

‘Politics is a dirty game’

“The party’s employees in Millbank forget that branch officers and candidates are unpaid volunteers.

“Some will call my resignation petulance or sour grapes at my lowly placing on the list (fifth to an ex-Tory on the make and three novices). That rankles, but it has also confirmed to me what I feared; Reform is no longer open or honest. Politics is a dirty game, but Reform has sunk deep into the sewer when it should have been a beacon of decency.

“Across Wales the candidate appointment does not reflect how people performed in the selection process; I know because I was there. In many constituencies those at the top of the list are not the best. Far too many are Tories – and the Reform vote will suffer.

“Politics should be about openness, decency and serving the country, which it once was in Reform. Politics is (or should be) about people, not process. Principles, not opportunism. Passion, not career building.

“The Reform Party has betrayed its early members’ vision, labour and achievements. I won’t be a party to that, so I resign.”

Reform UK was appoached for a response to Mr Benham-Croswell’s remarks.

Mr Benham-Croswell’s decision to leave the party he has long been associated with comes days after another of Reform’s Senedd candidates withdrew. Andrew Barry, a former Independent councillor in Merthyr Tydfil, pulled out of the May elections as he accused Reform of prioritising former Conservative politicians from outside the area.

Following Mr Barry’s resignation a party source said all candidates were selected using the same scoring system and that the majority of candidates have never stood before in elections.

Another Reform candidate, Corey Edwards a former Tory, stood down yesterday after a picture emerged of him performing what appeared to be a Nazi salute. He was the party’s top candidate for the Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg constituency.

Commenting on the latest resignation of Gŵyr Abertawe (Swansea & Gower) Reform candidate Patrick Benham-Crosswell, the lead Liberal Democrat candidate for the constituency, Sam Bennett, said: “I agree with Patrick when he says that Reform have sunk deep into the sewer.

“They have selected a lead list candidate who said people on benefits should be ‘put down’, and who has consorted with far-right figures at public meetings.

“The people of Swansea and Gower deserve better than this. I’m standing up for decent politics that treats everyone with respect. If you want to stop Reform in our area, then vote for me and the Liberal Democrats on 7th May.”