The UK has agreed to provide military support to Saudi Arabia in countering strikes from Houthi rebels.

Andy Burnham revealed tonight that he had green lit plans to help the Saudis with aerial refuelling for defensive action as they come under attack from the Iran-backed militia.

It is understood that the RAF will deploy a Voyager tanker from its base in Cyprus within days to assist Saudi jets to shooting down drones. On Tuesday morning defence minister Luke Pollard said the move would help drive down fuel prices.

Speaking to reporters as he travelled to the US, the Prime Minister said: “We have received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support, and on the advice of the Defence Secretary and the Foreign Secretary, last night [Sunday] I agreed to that request for defensive air to air refuelling, and that’s the agreement that we’ve given.”

The move is one of the most significant military decisions Mr Burnham has made since he became PM, and marks his first deployment of the RAF into a new conflict zone. The support will be time limited, and is expected to last for several weeks.

The refuelling mission comes in addition to the UK Sky Sabre air defence system already deployed in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Burnham pointed to the impact of conflict in the Middle East on household finances at home as he explained the move. He said: “I go back to the point I made about cost of living pressures and acting to secure the interests of Britain and the wider region, because of course Saudi Arabia has been experiencing attack, is looking at potential further disruption, and we need to keep those pathways open.”

Mr Pollard said the deployment of an RAF refuelling aircraft was aimed at preventing further escalation in the Red Sea. He told the BBC that while the government is working on tackling the cost of living, peace in the Middle East and Ukraine would ultimately cut fuel prices.

He said: “We’re working with our friends to try and deliver that de-escalation, and part of the reason why we deployed the RAF Voyager to Saudi Arabia, for instance, is to ensure there’s not further escalation in the Red Sea, which could further risk our fuel prices.”

The Prime Minister made his comments as he travelled to New York for the UN General Assembly, where he is expected to hold talks with Donald Trump.

The visit comes with world leaders grappling with the economic impacts of Mr Trump’s war against Iran, the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the implications of the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

It will be Mr Burnham’s first meeting with the US president although the pair have spoken by telephone since the Prime Minister took office in July.

Mr Trump’s unpredictability, his recent comments about Irish unification and his hostility to UK immigration and clean energy policies make it a potentially awkward challenge for the Prime Minister.

Mr Burnham has been critical of the US president in the past including saying – as rioters stormed the US Capitol in 2021 – that “any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now”.

But on Monday he dismissed concern that his comments could put the dampeners on his meeting with Mr Trump, saying their early calls had been warm. And he joked that he confronted Mr Trump for describing him as mayor “of some town” when he was running Greater Manchester.

Pressed about his old comments as he prepares to host Trump in Manchester next year, Mr Burnham said: “Politicians say things throughout their career, but now the important thing is to focus on the moment you are in, and I did say to the President in our first phone call – I said – Mr President, Manchester isn’t ‘some town’, I said, this is Manchester.

“And so yes, the right thing to do is to have a laugh about it, isn’t it, and move beyond it.”

Nigel Farage Praises Arrested Ex-Reform Welsh Leader – ‘I’m Sorry for His Personal Difficulties’

Nigel Farage has expressed sympathy for former Reform UK Wales leader Dan Thomas after his arrest on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour, describing his departure from the leadership as a “bump in the road” for the party.

Thomas stepped down from his position as Reform UK’s Welsh leader last week after Gwent Police confirmed that a 45-year-old man from the Aberbargoed area had been arrested on 13 September. Police said the man had been bailed pending further inquiries. Thomas has denied wrongdoing and said he was released without charge.

Farage’s comments came as Reform UK formally introduced Helen Jenner as its new leader in Wales. Jenner, previously the party’s deputy leader in Wales, was selected by Reform’s members of the Senedd following Thomas’s resignation.

The episode has created another period of uncertainty for Reform in Wales only months after the party made significant gains in the Senedd election.

Farage’s Message About Thomas

Speaking in Cardiff, Farage said he was sorry for the “personal difficulties” Thomas was experiencing.

He added that nobody’s life was “seamless” and expressed the view that Thomas would emerge from the situation before too long.

At the same time, Farage acknowledged that Thomas could not realistically remain Welsh leader while the police investigation was continuing.

The Reform leader described the situation as a “bump in the road” and said the party had moved quickly to select a replacement.

Farage also indicated that Thomas would remain a member of the Senedd and suggested there would continue to be a role for him within the party.

The comments were made in the context of an ongoing police investigation. No finding of guilt has been made against Thomas, and he has explicitly stated that he has done nothing wrong.

That distinction is important because an arrest and investigation do not establish criminal responsibility.

What Happened to Dan Thomas?

Thomas became leader of Reform UK in Wales in February 2026.

He had previously been a Conservative politician and served as leader of Barnet Council in north London from 2019 to 2022. He later defected to Reform before returning to his home area in south Wales.

At the Senedd election in May, Reform UK won 34 seats in the expanded 96-member Welsh parliament and became the second-largest group behind Plaid Cymru.

Thomas subsequently led the Reform group as the party attempted to establish itself as a major political force in Wales.

His leadership ended abruptly in September.

Gwent Police said a 45-year-old man from the Aberbargoed area had been arrested on suspicion of assault and engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour. The man was released on bail while inquiries continued.

Thomas announced that he was standing down as Welsh leader shortly afterwards.

In his statement, he said he had been reported to police over the weekend and released without charge. He insisted that he had done nothing wrong but did not want the resulting headlines to distract from Reform’s work in the Senedd.

He remains a Member of the Senedd.

Reform Moves Quickly

Following Thomas’s resignation, Reform’s Welsh members moved to choose a new leader.

Helen Jenner emerged as the successful candidate, defeating Jason O’Connell by 17 votes to 15, according to reporting from the Guardian.

Jenner had previously served as deputy leader of Reform in Wales and has a longer history with Farage’s political organisations.

She was a candidate for the Brexit Party in the 2019 general election and had previously been involved with Ukip.

Her selection gives Reform a leader with established connections to the party leadership while also putting a Welsh-based politician at the head of the Senedd group.

Farage said he had known Jenner for many years and trusted her.

The change means Reform has attempted to move quickly beyond the controversy surrounding Thomas.

A Difficult Moment for Reform Wales

The leadership change comes at a challenging time for Reform in Wales.

The party’s performance in May’s Senedd election represented a major increase in its parliamentary presence. Reform won 34 seats, making it the largest opposition group in the chamber and giving the party a much stronger platform than it previously possessed.

However, the party has also experienced internal difficulties.

Another Reform Senedd member, Sarah Cooper-Lesadd, recently defected to Plaid Cymru. She criticised Reform’s approach to Welsh politics, saying the party was not serious about governing Wales and was more interested in opposition and headlines.

Reform rejected that characterisation.

The combination of Thomas’s resignation and Cooper-Lesadd’s defection has inevitably generated questions about the party’s internal cohesion.

Farage, however, has sought to present the situation as manageable.

The Importance of the Welsh Leadership

The position of Reform leader in Wales has become increasingly important because of the party’s rapid electoral growth.

Before the 2026 election, Reform had a much smaller presence in the Senedd. Its 34 seats transformed its position in Welsh politics.

The party now has a large group of members capable of challenging the Welsh government and influencing debates across a range of issues.

The leadership therefore carries significance beyond the personality of any individual politician.

Jenner inherits responsibility for coordinating the group, setting its political priorities and presenting a consistent public message.

She also faces the task of managing internal disagreements following a period in which Reform has attracted considerable attention.

Farage’s Continued Support for Thomas

Farage’s remarks about Thomas were notable because they went beyond simply acknowledging his resignation.

He said Thomas had been doing a “brilliant job” and expressed sympathy for his personal circumstances.

He also indicated that Thomas could return to a more active political role.

That position reflects the principle that allegations should not automatically be treated as proof of wrongdoing.

Thomas has denied the allegations and remains a member of the Senedd while the police investigation continues.

For Reform, however, the immediate practical issue was whether someone facing an active investigation could continue leading the party’s Welsh group.

Farage acknowledged that this had become untenable and supported the decision to appoint a replacement.

The Legal Position

The police investigation remains ongoing.

Gwent Police have not announced a charge against Thomas. He was arrested and released on bail pending further inquiries.

Thomas has said that he did nothing wrong.

As with any criminal investigation, the distinction between suspicion, arrest, charge and conviction is important.

An arrest allows police to investigate suspected offences but does not itself establish that an offence was committed by the person arrested.

The future of the investigation will therefore be determined by the evidence gathered by police and any subsequent decisions made by prosecutors.

Until then, the allegations remain allegations.

Farage’s Strategy

Farage’s response appears designed to separate the immediate leadership issue from the longer-term position of Thomas within Reform.

By describing the situation as a temporary “bump in the road”, he signalled that the party does not intend to allow the controversy to dominate its political agenda.

That approach is consistent with the broader message delivered when Helen Jenner was unveiled.

Farage said Reform would continue its work rather than allowing the leadership crisis to halt its operations.

The party is now seeking to focus attention on its priorities in Wales and its role as the main opposition group in the Senedd.

Helen Jenner’s Challenge

Jenner now faces the task of establishing her authority over a large and relatively new political group.

Her background gives her experience of Farage’s political movement, but she will also need to demonstrate that Reform can operate effectively within the Welsh political system.

The party’s supporters will expect her to build on the electoral gains made in May.

At the same time, she will have to deal with disagreements within the group and ensure that Reform members present a coherent alternative to the Welsh government.

Her election was relatively close, with just two votes separating her from O’Connell.

That result indicates that the Welsh group contains different preferences about its future direction.

How Jenner handles those internal differences could become an important part of her leadership.

A Wider Test for Reform

The developments in Wales are also relevant to Reform UK nationally.

The party has expanded rapidly across Britain and is attempting to turn electoral support into a durable political organisation.

That process inevitably brings new politicians, new internal structures and new controversies.

The events surrounding Thomas demonstrate the difficulties that can arise when a rapidly growing party faces unexpected leadership problems.

Farage’s response has been to move quickly, appoint a replacement and maintain that Reform will continue its work.

The coming months will show whether that strategy is sufficient to keep the Welsh group focused on its political objectives.

What Happens Next?

For now, Helen Jenner takes over as Reform UK’s Welsh leader while Dan Thomas remains a Senedd member.

The police investigation into the allegations against Thomas continues, with no charge announced at the time of his resignation.

Farage has made clear that he remains sympathetic towards Thomas and expects him to remain involved with Reform.

At the same time, the party has chosen to move forward under new leadership.

For Reform Wales, the priority will be to maintain its position as the largest opposition group in the Senedd and demonstrate that its election success can translate into sustained political influence.

For Thomas, the immediate issue is the police investigation and the process of establishing what happened.

And for Farage, the challenge is to prevent the latest leadership disruption from overshadowing Reform’s wider political ambitions in Wales.

His message has been that the party should carry on.

Whether that proves straightforward will depend not only on the outcome of the police inquiry but also on how effectively Jenner can unite Reform’s Welsh members and establish her own leadership in the months ahead.

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