Helen Jenner
Helen Jenner | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Official portrait, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition in Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 15 September 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Minister | Rhun ap Iorwerth | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Herself Laura Anne Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Dan Thomas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Leader of Reform UK Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 15 September 2026[c] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Herself Laura Anne Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK party leader | Nigel Farage | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Dan Thomas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Leader of Reform UK Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 April 2026 – 21 September 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader | Dan Thomas Herself (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Laura Anne Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the Senedd for Bangor Conwy Môn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 8 May 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Constituency established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 1988 (age 37–38) Neath, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Reform UK (2019–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations | UKIP (before 2019) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Emmett Jenner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Bangor University (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Helen Jenner (born 1988) is a Welsh politician who has served as Leader of the Opposition in Wales and Leader of Reform UK Wales since September 2026. She has served as a Shadow Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language and as a member of the Senedd (MS) for Bangor Conwy Môn since May 2026. She was Deputy Leader of Reform UK Wales from April to September 2026.
Background and early career
[edit]Jenner was born in Neath, and grew up in Bodorgan, Anglesey, attending Ysgol David Hughes. She studied English literature at Bangor University; In 2006, she was a member of the punk band The Mephs (short for Mephistophelean Engines of Pleasure).[1]
Jenner then worked as a teacher at the BRIT School in London,[2] returning to Wales in March 2019.[3]
Political career
[edit]Jenner contested the Ynys Môn constituency at the 2019 general election, for Reform UK under its previous name of the Brexit Party, where she came fourth out of four candidates, receiving 6% of the vote.[4]
In March 2026, Jenner was announced as the lead candidate on Reform UK Wales' list for the Bangor Conwy Môn constituency. Shortly after, in April 2026, she was announced as the party's first deputy leader.[5] She was successfully elected.
On 19 May 2026 she was appointed as Shadow Minister for Education and the Welsh language in the Thomas shadow cabinet.[6]
On 15 September 2026 Jenner became interim leader of Reform UK Wales, following the resignation of Dan Thomas;[7] she was elected as permanent leader in a leadership election by a vote of 17 against 15 for Jason O'Connell, with the results announced on 21 September.[8][9]
Personal life
[edit]Jenner is a Welsh speaker.[10] Her husband is Emmett Jenner, also an active member of Reform in Wales; they had met through the youth wing of UKIP and married in 2016. They have two children.[5][11]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Browne, Adrian (22 September 2026). "From punk to politics - the making of new Reform Wales leader Helen Jenner". BBC News.
- ↑ https://golwg.360.cymru/cylchgrawn/2199546-athrawes-arwain-reform
- ↑ Spridgeon, Dale (2019-12-04). "Chance to get to know the Ynys Môn's parliamentary candidates standing in election". North Wales Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
- ↑ "Ynys Môn - 2019 General Election". BBC News. 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
- 1 2 Price, Emily (2026-04-01). "Reform Wales appoints deputy leader as Senedd campaign threatens to stall". Nation.Cymru.
- ↑ Ruth Mosalski (2026-05-19). "Reform UK announce shadow cabinet roles". Wales Online. Retrieved 2026-05-25.
- ↑ Deans, David (2026-09-15). "Dan Thomas resigns as Reform Wales leader after arrest on suspicion of assault". BBC News. Retrieved 2026-05-16.
- ↑ "Helen Jenner unveiled by Nigel Farage as new leader of Reform in Wales". BBC. 21 September 2026.
- ↑ Quinn, Ben (21 September 2026). "Helen Jenner only just won Reform UK's leadership election in Senedd, figures show". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
- ↑ Deans, David (2026-08-27). "I was told I should not be at the National Eisteddfod, says Reform MS". BBC News. Retrieved 2026-08-27.
- ↑ Wilkinson, Sophie (2026-09-24). "Meet the teenage punk turned teacher who just became Reform's top woman". The i Paper. Retrieved 2026-09-25.
External links
[edit]- Profile at the Senedd
- Record in the Senedd at TheyWorkForYou
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