// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Politician who switched from Reform to Plaid 'lied about her beliefs', says Richard Tice
Sarah Cooper-Lesadd was elected as a Member of the Senedd for Reform in May
Reform UK's deputy leader has accused the party's former Senedd Member Sarah Cooper-Lesadd of lying to them about her political beliefs before she defected to Plaid Cymru.
Richard Tice was speaking after a chaotic week for his party in which its Welsh leader resigned after being arrested on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour.
Helen Jenner, the party's deputy leader in Wales, is favourite to take over next week.
Tice insisted the events had not distracted the party from the issues it was tackling, saying there were good days and bad days in politics.
Plaid Cymru said Cooper-Lesadd had been "honest about her political beliefs" and had acknowledged her views had changed.
Sarah Cooper-Lesadd, who was elected to the Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg constituency, made the dramatic political move to Plaid Cymru, claiming Reform UK was "far more interested in division, opposition and headlines than in finding solutions".
As well as saying she was now a supporter of Welsh independence, she also revealed she had voted to Remain in the EU referendum a decade ago.
Richard Tice said the "whole thing" around Sarah Cooper-Lesadd's defection is "absurd"
When asked how she had got through the vetting process as a Remain voter, Tice said: "If someone deliberately misleads you, and fibs to you, and lies to you, then it doesn't matter how much vetting you do.