James Evans MS has blasted Reform UK for failing to distance themselves from former MEP Nathan Gill, who recently pleaded guilty to taking bribes from Vladimir Putin’s Russian Federation, warning that their stance poses a “threat to our national security.” Mr Gill is awaiting sentencing, but it is expected that he will serve time in prison for this offence.
Appearing on ITV Cymru Wales’ Sharp End on Tuesday night, James condemned Mr Gill, who previously represented Wales in the European Parliament between 2014-2020, has been leader of both UKIP and more recently Reform UK Wales, and was colleagues with Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage who served as an MEP between 1999-2020.
James Evans MS accused Reform UK of refusing to disassociate themselves from a “national disgrace.”
James Evans MS said:
“Nathan Gill has described the charges against him as ‘Desperate and cynical smears,’ but this is from a man who has pleaded guilty to and been convicted of taking bribes from Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
“To have somebody who once sat in our national parliament, advocating for Russia in Europe is a national disgrace. And the fact that Reform UK have not distanced themselves from that tells you everything, this is a threat to our national security.
“God forbid, If they ever got into power in Wales, we’d probably be run by Vladimir Putin himself. Nigel Farage has appeared on Russia Today spreading pro-Kremlin messaging, and now this. People involved with Reform UK need to take a very hard look at the company they keep. We need answers from Reform UK about who knew what and when about the Russian connections Gill had.”
