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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Brexit: Mark Reckless leaves Tory group in Cardiff Bay | Brexit: Mark Reckless leaves Tory group in Cardiff Bay |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Former UKIP AM Mark Reckless has left the Conservative group in the assembly, he has announced. | Former UKIP AM Mark Reckless has left the Conservative group in the assembly, he has announced. |
| He said he has left the party group because the UK government "has broken its promise to deliver Brexit". Mr Reckless had not been a member of the party. | He said he has left the party group because the UK government "has broken its promise to deliver Brexit". Mr Reckless had not been a member of the party. |
| It comes as speculation mounts a Brexit Party assembly group could be formed. | It comes as speculation mounts a Brexit Party assembly group could be formed. |
| Tory group leader Paul Davies thanked him "for his valuable contribution" over the last two years. | Tory group leader Paul Davies thanked him "for his valuable contribution" over the last two years. |
| Mr Davies said: "I appreciate there are strong views on Brexit but our commitment is clear - Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom must leave the European Union." | Mr Davies said: "I appreciate there are strong views on Brexit but our commitment is clear - Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom must leave the European Union." |
| A spokesman for the South Wales East independent AM, who was not conducting interviews on Tuesday, said he had left the Tory group on "good terms". | A spokesman for the South Wales East independent AM, who was not conducting interviews on Tuesday, said he had left the Tory group on "good terms". |
| Nigel Farage, Brexit Party leader, is due to visit Merthyr Tydfil on Wednesday. | |
| Speculation in recent weeks has suggested a new group could be formed in the assembly including some of the Brexiteer AMs in the assembly. | Speculation in recent weeks has suggested a new group could be formed in the assembly including some of the Brexiteer AMs in the assembly. |
| Ms Jones is known to have signed up to the Brexit Party as a supporter and was at a Newport rally earlier in May, as was Mr Reckless. | |
| However, there has been no confirmation from any of the individuals - Caroline Jones, Mark Reckless, David Rowlands and Mandy Jones - that are thought could be involved. | However, there has been no confirmation from any of the individuals - Caroline Jones, Mark Reckless, David Rowlands and Mandy Jones - that are thought could be involved. |
| One source said Mr Reckless' resignation was a step towards a new group, but did not mean it was a "done deal". | One source said Mr Reckless' resignation was a step towards a new group, but did not mean it was a "done deal". |
| Mr Rowlands, if he was to defect, would leave UKIP with two AMs, not enough to form a party group which grants AMs more resources and staff. | |
| A UKIP group source said on Monday they had no concerns about Mr Rowlands, however, while a Brexit Party spokesman said a newspaper report of discussions over a new group was a "great work of speculation". | A UKIP group source said on Monday they had no concerns about Mr Rowlands, however, while a Brexit Party spokesman said a newspaper report of discussions over a new group was a "great work of speculation". |
| It is the third time Mr Reckless has defected from a political group. | |
| Mr Reckless joined the Welsh Conservative group in 2017 after leaving UKIP, but did not rejoin the party he had served as an MP. | |
| He had been one of two Tory MPs to join UKIP in 2014 - his high profile defection proved to be a barrier to him rejoining the Conservatives as a full member. |