Reform pushes grooming‑gang inquiry to act in Wales
Deputy leader Laura Anne Jones says Reform’s pressure has spurred targeted investigations, while honouring a friend battling MND.
Reform UK’s deputy leader, Laura Anne Jones MS, announced that pressure from the party has prompted the grooming‑gang inquiry to launch targeted investigations in Wales. “This is a welcome step for victims and families across Wales, brought about by pressure from Reform in the Senedd,” she said in the Senedd chamber.
Jones recalled a recent debate on grooming gangs organised by Reform, insisting that Welsh victims must not be ignored. “We refused to accept Wales being treated as an afterthought,” she added.
She urged the inquiry to follow the evidence wherever it leads, exposing failures and ensuring no one escapes scrutiny because of their position. “Protecting children must come before protecting reputations,” Jones asserted.
The deputy leader pledged that Reform will keep demanding that victims are heard, perpetrators face justice and anyone who enabled or covered up abuse is held accountable. “If this Inquiry is insufficient, we will push for another, until victims get the justice they deserve,” she warned.
Her remarks came as the inquiry, set up after a series of high‑profile abuse scandals, continues to examine systemic failures across the UK. Welsh officials have previously said the investigation will consider evidence from all regions, but Reform’s intervention highlights political pressure on the process.
In the same session, Jones paid tribute to a long‑time friend, Matthew Cox, a Monmouthshire resident diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2025. “Faced with that devastating diagnosis, Matt has chosen to turn that negative into a positive and devote his energy to helping others with MND now and in the future,” she said.
Cox, who is training for marathon challenges, has already completed the London, Leeds and Welsh marathons and most recently the Great North Run. He has doubled the distance he walked each time, a feat Jones described as “an incredible achievement”.
His fundraising target stands at £100,000, aimed at vital charities that support people living with MND. “Give back to the charities that supported him after his diagnosis,” he explained, underscoring his personal motivation.
Jones highlighted the MND Connect helpline as a crucial resource for those affected. She called it “a lifeline for him and others facing this cruel disease”.
The deputy leader urged the Welsh Government and the Senedd to ensure that support is available for every person and family confronting the disease. “My plea to this Government, and to this whole Senedd, is to help ensure that support is there for every person and family facing this devastating disease,” she concluded.
Reform’s dual focus on child protection and health support reflects its broader agenda of holding institutions to account while championing community welfare. Stakeholders across the health and justice sectors will be watching how the inquiry’s findings intersect with calls for systemic reform.
As the investigation proceeds, victims’ groups have welcomed the heightened scrutiny, while officials stress the need for thorough, evidence‑based conclusions. Meanwhile, Cox’s marathon endeavours continue to raise awareness of MND, with each race bringing him closer to his £100,000 goal.
His story, amplified by Jones’s remarks, adds a personal dimension to the broader discussion of support services for chronic illness in Wales. Both the grooming‑gang inquiry and the push for MND support illustrate the growing demand for transparent, victim‑centred policy making in the Senedd.