An ex-Reform UK politician has likened her former party’s response to criticism as being “like an abuser in a domestic abuse relationship”.
Sarah Cooper-Lesadd, who defected to Plaid Cymru last month, also said she was “not surprised” by recent allegations of sexism and misogyny within the party, claiming she had personal experience of such behaviour.
Reform UK says Cooper-Lesadd should resign and called her claims “outright fabrications”.
An ITV undercover investigation, due to be broadcast on Sunday evening, has filmed several of the party’s supporters and candidates over a 12-month period, with several making racist and sexist comments.
Reform UK said all those featured in the programme were under investigation, with some having resigned, while others were suspended.
Cooper-Lesadd was elected as a Member of the Senedd for Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg in May as a Reform UK member before switching to Plaid Cymru in September.
In an interview with BBC-produced Newyddion S4C, she claimed there was a sexist and misogynistic culture within the party when she was a member and said she was “on the receiving end” of such comments.
Pointing to two separate incidents, she claimed a prominent party member told her she “looked like a screamer” during a political rally.
She alleged the same member also told her she “did not need to be elected as she could be replaced by a 60-year-old man.”
She said there was a wider culture of sexism and misogyny which meant she “did not feel empowered to report” these instances and claims they “would not have been taken seriously” by the party.
When asked whether Reform supporters had some justification in labelling criticism levelled at them as being part of a “woke agenda”, Cooper-Lesadd replied that such comments were “straight out of the Reform playbook”, likening the blaming of the establishment to an abuser in a domestic abuse relationship.
“Reform’s playbook is if they can’t defend the indefensible, they turn it on the person actually finding and making the allegations,” she said.
“I think ultimately Reform needs to play within the rules other parties play by.”
Reform UK said Cooper-Lesadd’s comments were “outright fabrications from an individual who lied her way into Welsh Parliament”.
“If Ms Cooper-Lesadd had an ounce of integrity or respect for her office, she would resign immediately and return the seat to a Reform representative. Instead, she invents wild stories to smear her former colleagues.
“The fact the media is taking these fantasies seriously without a shred of evidence is frankly astonishing.”
