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The leader of the Conservative Senedd group has rejigged his top team after Laura Anne Jones’ defection to Reform UK.

South Wales East Senedd Member Ms Jones was the Tory shadow secretary for local government, housing, and the Armed Forces before quitting the party on Tuesday July 22.

Her portfolios have now been divided up, with Joel James taking on the local government and housing briefs, while James Evans takes over the Armed Forces role.

Meanwhile Natasha Asghar, who also represents the South Wales East region, has been given a broader role as part of Tory group leader Darren Millar’s reshuffle.

Ms Asghar, who has served as her party’s shadow education secretary, now becomes the shadow secretary for children, young young people, and education.

It is the fourth time Mr Millar has shuffled his cabinet since taking over as party leader in December – the most recent of which came at the beginning of May.

Announcing the changes, Mr Millar took swipe at Reform, describing the Tories as the “only credible alternative” to the “failing” Labour government in Wales, and added: “We are the only conservative party that will be on the ballot paper in the Senedd elections next May.”

Ms Jones’ defection was announced at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday afternoon. It came after Reform leader Nigel Farage teased an “exciting announcement from Wales” earlier in the day.

Her change of allegiance was revealed when she walked out into a Reform media briefing alongside Mr Farage and Reform’s ex-Tory government minister David Jones.

At her unveiling, Ms Jones confirmed she had not informed any of her Tory colleagues of her defection, including Mr Millar – who reportedly only found out the news while it was being announced publicly.

In a statement issued less than half an hour after news broke, Mr Millar said: “Naturally, I’m disappointed by Laura’s decision, and Conservative Party members and voters in South East Wales will feel very let down by her announcement.”

Ms Jones said the Conservatives were a party she “no longer recognised” and she could “no longer justify” what the party was doing.

Full shadow cabinet

• Darren Millar – Leader of the opposition;
• Paul Davies – Deputy leader, chief whip, and shadow secretary for the constitution;
• Natasha Asghar – Shadow secretary for children, young people, and education;
• Gareth Davies – Shadow secretary for culture, tourism, sport, and North Wales;
• James Evans – Shadow secretary for health, social care, and the Armed Forces;
• Janet Finch-Saunders – Shadow secretary for climate change and environment;
• Tom Giffard – Shadow counsel general, and shadow secretary for delivery, external affairs, and Welsh language;
• Altaf Hussain – Shadow secretary for equalities and social justice;
• Joel James – Shadow secretary for local government and housing;
• Samuel Kurtz – Shadow secretary for the economy, energy, and rural affairs;
• Sam Rowlands – Policy director and shadow secretary for finance, transport, and infrastructure.