Cliff Notes
- Zia Yusuf has resigned as chairman of Reform UK, stating that working to elect the party is no longer a “good use of my time.”
- His resignation follows a controversial incident involving a question posed by a new party MP regarding a burka ban, which Yusuf called “dumb.”
- Party leadership, including Nigel Farage and Richard Tice, expressed regret over Yusuf’s departure, while some former members raised concerns over his appointment and capabilities.
Zia Yusuf: Chairman of Reform UK resigns | Politics News
The chairman of Reform UK, Zia Yusuf, has resigned.
Mr Yusuf said in a post on X that working to get the party elected is no longer “a good use of my time”.
He said: “11 months ago I became chairman of Reform. I’ve worked full time as a volunteer to take the party from 14 to 30%, quadrupled its membership and delivered historic electoral results.
“I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.”
It comes after a row in which he described a question to Sir Keir Starmer about a ban on burkas from his party’s newest MP Sarah Pochin as “dumb”.
Many credited businessman Mr Yusuf with professionalising the party’s operations after they secured millions of votes at last year’s general election.
Reacting to the news, party leader Nigel Farage said: “I am genuinely sorry that Zia Yusuf has decided to stand down as Reform UK chairman.
“As I said just last week, he was a huge factor in our success on 1 May and is an enormously talented person.
“Politics can be a highly pressured and difficult game and Zia has clearly had enough. He is a loss to us and public life.”
Deputy leader Richard Tice said the party would “not be where we are today without him”.
Rupert Lowe, a former Reform MP, was less complimentary.
He said: “The question is – how did a man with no political experience be given such vast power within Reform… who at every stage was protected and promoted by Farage.”
Mr Lowe added that he is still taking legal action against Mr Yusuf.
In March, Reform referred Mr Lowe to police over allegations including threats of physical violence against Mr Yusuf. Prosecutors later said they would not bring charges against Mr Lowe, who was suspended by the party.
The latest row in the party stemmed from the newly elected Reform MP asking a question to the prime minister in the Commons on Wednesday.
She asked if the burka would be banned “in the interests of public safety”.
Sir Keir Starmer declined to “follow her down that line”, before taking the opportunity to attack Reform’s economic policies.
Mr Yusuf later said on social media that it was a “dumb” question for Ms Pochin to ask, and said it was not party policy.
Responding to Mr Yusuf’s resignation, a Labour spokesperson said: “If Nigel Farage can’t manage a handful of politicians, how on earth could he run a country? He has fallen out with everyone he has ever worked with.”
Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper MP said: “It’s already clear Reform UK cannot deliver for the communities they are elected to stand up for. Instead, they have copied the Conservative playbook of fighting like rats in a sack.”
