Richard Tice accuses defector Sarah Cooper-Lesadd of lying about political views

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has accused Sarah Cooper-Lesadd of “deliberately misleading” the party regarding her political beliefs. Cooper-Lesadd, who was elected to the Senedd as a Reform MS only four months ago, recently defected to Plaid Cymru.

Tice claimed that Cooper-Lesadd “lied” about her views, specifically questioning how she could transition from being a unionist to a separatist and from supporting border defense to advocating for a “nation of sanctuary.” Cooper-Lesadd defended her move, stating that Reform UK is more interested in “division, opposition and headlines than in finding solutions” and accused the party of using the Senedd as a “staging post” to assist Nigel Farage’s political ambitions.

Following the defection, Reform MS Jason O’Connell was reprimanded by the Senedd’s Deputy Presiding Officer for making inappropriate, sarcastic remarks about Cooper-Lesadd during a plenary session.