Reform UK’s Dan Thomas branded the Conservatives “a dishonest, clapped-out party” after they criticised his move to Wales reports David Floyd

Hendon Town Hall with (inset right, Labour council leader Barry Rawlings) and (inset left, Tory group leader Dan Thomas) — Hendon Town Hall with Dan Thomas (inset left) who was replaced by Barry Rawlings (insight right) as council leader in 2022.

A former leader of Barnet Council has slammed the party he used to lead following criticism from his successor.

Dan Thomas, who led the borough as a Conservative from 2019 to 2022, announced yesterday that he was resigning as a councillor to spend more time with his family in Wales.

Having continued to lead the council’s opposition Conservative group following defeat at the 2022 election, Thomas quit as leader in May 2024 but remained a councillor after moving to Wales that year before joining Reform UK in June 2024.

Following yesterday’s announcement, current Barnet Conservative leader Peter Zinkin offered a forthright perspective on his predecessor’s recent contribution to the council saying: “Conservatives understand that stable and efficient local government is a team effort and not in the ownership of any individual Cllr particularly one who has abandoned the borough, changed parties and let down residents.”

Cllr Zinkin added: “Reform in Barnet is failing, this sorry tale demonstrates that in Barnet they are a transient protest that can’t deliver stable, committed representation for our community,” while also suggesting that Thomas should pay back the councillor’s allowance he had received while living away from the borough.

After seeing the comments yesterday evening, Thomas hit back with a stinging attack on his former colleagues, including the claim that they had specifically asked him to stay on as a councillor when he stopped living in the borough to avoid the need for a by-election.

He told Barnet Post: “Cllr Zinkin’s comments are disingenuous and hypocritical. Local Conservatives were aware I moved away and were quite happy for me to continue sitting as a councillor before I joined Reform. Members of Cllr Zinkin’s team directly asked me not to cause ‘yet another’ by-election.”

He added: “Their response is indicative of a dishonest, clapped-out party that is frightened of Reform, who I predict will do very well in May’s local elections. Indeed, Reform’s strong performance in the recent Hendon by-election, where it started completely from scratch, has got Barnet Conservatives running scared.”

Responding to a question from Barnet Post about his future plans, Thomas said he was “taking a break from front line politics to focus on family life” and added: “I’m an active Reform supporter, but I’m yet to finally decide what or when my next political venture will be.”

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