WELSH Conservatives were shaken today as a leading member of the Senedd defected to Reform UK.

Reform leader Nigel Farage held a press conference at the Royal Welsh Show in Builth Wells to announce that Welsh Conservative Laura Anne Jones had defected to his party.

Political opponents queued up to pronounce the last rites for the Tories in Wales as their polling figures hover around 12.5 per cent, which could see them lose all their Senedd seats.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “This is yet another desperate Tory defection who knows the writing is on the wall for their party’s prospects next May.”

Ms Jones was sacked from her front bench post while an investigation takes place into allegations about her expenses claims.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “Laura Anne Jones has seen the polls and, in a desperate attempt to keep her Senedd seat, is leaving the sinking Tory ship.

“This is someone who backed Liz Truss’s reckless economics, which crashed the economy.”

Ms Jones was elected for a South East Wales regional seat, but in the new electoral system for next year’s Senedd election, faced a contest with fellow Tory MS Peter Fox for top spot on the party list.

Ms Jones denied that she had joined Reform because she was worried about re-election, but polling shows the Tories could lose many or all of their seats.

“I had a fair chance of getting in,” she told the Reform news conference.

Mr Farage said his new recruit brings experience, “she knows how the place works, and that’s very important for us,” he said.

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar said: “Conservative Party members and voters in South East Wales will feel very let down by her announcement.

“We wish Laura all the very best in her new high tax and high spend party,” Mr Millar added.

Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesman David Chadwick said: “Reform has no answers for Wales, just more noise, division, and is seemingly now only a vehicle for failed Conservative politicians.”

There has also been speculation that former Tory Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies will defect to Reform, but he remains tight-lipped about this.