Reform UK candidate James Evans calls Arron Banks’ “Welsh lad?” post racist

Context Arron Banks, a high‑profile donor and supporter of Reform UK, posted the phrase “Welsh lad?” on X after a Plaid Cymru video featured a black community organiser from Cardiff. The comment prompted immediate backlash from Welsh parties and civil society groups, who described it as a racial slur.

Key Facts - James Evans, the Reform UK candidate for the Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd constituency, told BBC Politics Wales that the post was “of course racist” and that Banks should not make such remarks. Evans is the first Reform representative to label the comment as racist. - Plaid Cymru issued a statement calling the post racist and criticised party leader Nigel Farage and Welsh Reform leader Dan Thomas for refusing to describe it as such. The party emphasized that “racism has no place in Wales or society.” - Nigel Farage previously urged Banks to apologise, calling the post “poor taste.” Dan Thomas, who did not directly address the comment, defended the party’s non‑racist stance and noted personal attacks on his own Welsh identity. - Other Welsh parties echoed the condemnation. The Welsh Conservatives welcomed Evans’ acknowledgement, the Wales Green Party called the joke “only racists would find funny,” and the Liberal Democrats warned of a “worrying pattern of behaviour” from Reform UK. - Banks has not responded to requests for comment. He previously dismissed the incident as a joke and accused Plaid Cymru of losing its sense of humour.

What It Means Evans’ statement creates a rare public split within Reform UK, highlighting internal pressure to distance the party from overtly racist rhetoric. The episode may force the party’s leadership to clarify its stance on race‑related comments ahead of upcoming Welsh elections. Watch for any formal response from Nigel Farage or Dan Thomas as the campaign season intensifies.