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A Conservative who contested the Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney seat at last year’s UK general election has defected to Reform.

Hannah Jarvis, who also twice stood as a candidate to be Gwent’s police and crime commissioner, is the latest defection to Nigel Farage’s party.

She follows in the footsteps of South Wales East Senedd Member Laura Anne Jones, who last month quit the Tories to become Reform’s only representative in the Welsh Parliament.

Ms Jarvis, a former deputy chair of Monmouthshire Conservatives, said “it’s time to put country first” when announcing her change of allegiances.

She continued: “I have been overwhelmed at the amount of support for Reform across Monmouthshire, reflecting the strength of feeling of the need for a real change in the county and country – as the polling shows.”

She also attacked her former party and said: “The Conservatives have ignored the concerns of the membership for too long and the diminishing party shows just how far they’ve fallen.”

Ms Jarvis’ switch was welcomed by Ms Jones, who described Reform as the party with “all the momentum in Welsh politics”.

The Senedd Member said: “It is great to hear that Hannah is now coming on board too, with her experience and tenacity.

“I have been bowled over at the huge and soaring numbers of women joining Reform, but am not surprised.

“Reform Wales have only just got started, and over the coming months we intend to show everyone our made-in-Wales plans to Reform Wales.”