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Reform UK Mocked After Zia Yusuf Returns Just 48 Hours After Quitting

Posted on 07/06/2025 by Boris Clair

Reform UK have been mocked after Zia Yusuf returned to the party fold just 48 hours after quitting as chairman.

He stunned Westminster on Thursday by dramatically quitting after becoming embroiled in a row over whether or not burqas should be banned.

In a post on X, he said: “I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.”

But in an equally-stunning development, Yusuf announced on Saturday evening that he was returning to the party, albeit in a different capacity.

He said in another post on X: “Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.”

Claiming his resignation was “a decision born of exhaustion”, Yusuf added: “I know the mission is too important and I cannot let people down. So, I will be continuing my work with Reform, my commitment redoubled.

“Reform has come a long way since I was appointed chairman, and has moved from ‘startup’ to ‘scaleup’. Given this, and that we have now won power at a local level, I will focus on a new role. I will be running the UK DOGE team to fight for taxpayers, as well as working on party policy and representing it in the media.

“I will continue to give all my time to the most important project of my life, getting a Reform government elected with Nigel as prime minister.”

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Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.

After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single… pic.twitter.com/gPRjpMGdeS

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 7, 2025

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Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.

After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single… pic.twitter.com/gPRjpMGdeS

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 7, 2025

But the about-turn was immediately ridiculed by Reform’s political opponents.

Labour chair Ellie Reeves said: “Reform’s revolving door shows that the party is all about one person – Nigel Farage.

“Zia Yusuf’s humiliating hokey-cokey is laughable, but there is nothing funny about Farage’s £80 billion in unfunded commitments.”

A Lib Dem spokesman said: “It looks like Reform are playing musical chairman.”

Zia Yusuf Announces His Return To Reform UK Two Days After Shock Exit As Party Chair

Posted on 07/06/2025 by Boris Clair

Zia Yusuf has announced he will return to Reform UK despite quitting as the party’s chair just two days ago.

Yusuf resigned after almost a year at the forefront of Nigel Farage’s rightwing party.

His shock resignation came after he said it was “dumb” of a new Reform MP to ask the government if it intended to ban the burqa.

But today Yusuf has declared that he will be leading “the UK DOGE team”, referring to the Department of Government Efficiency previously headed up by Elon Musk in the US – an idea Reform has been trying to install in Britain.

In a post on X, Yusuf wrote: “Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.

“After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single day off, my tweet was a decision born of exhaustion.

“I only came into politics out of a sense of duty, to serve the country I love.”

He continued: “I came into politics out of belief that Nigel Farage was the man to deliver that. Having read the messages, I believe in these things more than ever. I know the mission is too important and I cannot let people down.

“So, I will be continuing my work with Reform, my commitment redoubled.

“Reform has come a long way since I was appointed Chairman, and has moved from ‘startup’ to ‘scaleup’.

“Given this, and that we have now won power at a local level, I will focus on a new role.

“I will be running the UK DOGE team to fight for taxpayers, as well as working on party policy and representing it in the media.

“I will continue to give all my time to the most important project of my life, getting a Reform government elected with Nigel as prime minister.”

It’s a sharp contrast to his brief statement on Thursday, where he said: “I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.”

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Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.

After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single… pic.twitter.com/gPRjpMGdeS

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 7, 2025

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Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.

After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single… pic.twitter.com/gPRjpMGdeS

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 7, 2025

Why Keir Starmer Believes It’s Far Too Early To Write Reform UK’s Political Obituary

Posted on 06/06/2025 by Boris Clair

Nigel Farage knows more than most about surviving near-death experiences.

The Reform UK leader was campaigning for one of his previous parties, Ukip, on the day of the 2010 election when the light aircraft he was travelling in plunged to the ground.

Miraculously, he walked away from the wreckage and, after several more failed attempts, was finally elected to Westminster last July.

In similar fashion, those who believe that Zia Yusuf’s dramatic resignation as Reform’s chairman on Thursday night will inevitably lead to the party’s implosion are very likely to be disappointed.

That is certainly not how the development is being viewed in 10 Downing Street.

One senior ally of Keir Starmer told HuffPost UK: “Their success is because of how pissed off people are with the state of the country, not because of any great love for them or Nigel Farage.

“So it would be a mistake to think that they will just disappear because they are a bunch of clowns.”

Nevertheless, many could not resist the temptation to revel in Reform’s discomfort, pointing out that internal splits have been a recurring feature of Farage’s political career.

Indeed, it is only three months since Rupert Lowe, one of the five Reform MPs elected at the last election, was booted out of the party.

Gavin Barwell, the former Tory MP who was Theresa May’s chief of staff when she was PM, described Yusuf’s resignation as the “least surprising political news ever”.

Posting on X, he said: “Nigel Farage is incapable of sharing the stage. Sooner or later, anyone who tries to do so gets pushed off it. The only surprise is that they seem surprised when it happens.”

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Least surprising political news ever. @Nigel_Farage is incapable of sharing the stage. Sooner or later, anyone who tries to do so gets pushed off it. The only surprise is that they seem surprised when it happens https://t.co/djOw1Vz8vT

— Gavin Barwell (@GavinBarwell) June 5, 2025

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Least surprising political news ever. @Nigel_Farage is incapable of sharing the stage. Sooner or later, anyone who tries to do so gets pushed off it. The only surprise is that they seem surprised when it happens https://t.co/djOw1Vz8vT

— Gavin Barwell (@GavinBarwell) June 5, 2025

That view seemed to be reinforced by the resignation of Nathaniel Fried, the tech entrepreneur Zia Yusuf unveiled on Monday as head of Reform’s Doge-style cost-cutting unit.

But Chris Hopkins, political research director at pollsters Savanta, cautioned against over-interpreting the significance of Yusuf’s departure, insisting there is little reason to believe it will damage Reform’s standing with voters.

“The public aren’t going to care hugely about a party chairman resigning,” he said. “Any idea of Zia Yusuf being that important to voters and that Reform should be written off because he’s gone, I think is incredibly premature.

“Unless Farage himself is involved in serious controversy, or has to step aside, then Reform are going to continue to be strong.”

Further evidence of the right-wing party’s durability came just a few hours after Yusuf announced on X that he no longer believed that “working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time”.

Although they came third in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, it was the size of their vote share – 26% – that made political observers sit up and take notice less than a year out from the next Scottish Parliament election.

For a party which did not even exist the last time the seat was contested in 2021, and which has no organisational apparatus to speak of in Scotland, it was a remarkable result.

Luke Tryl of the More in Common think-tank said Reform “have clearly built a credible base of support since the general election in Scotland”.

“If, and it’s a real if given their recent turmoil, they can hold it together they could be a formidable force in the Scottish Parliament next year,” he said.

Reform UK insiders believe Yusuf’s resignation could even turn out to be a good thing for the party, not least because it will be welcomed by many party workers.

“He’s a hard worker and totally committed, but he’s not a good man manager,” said one source. “There won’t be many tears shed at HQ that he’s gone.”

Others have sympathy with him, insisting that Yusuf should not have been expected to put up with the online abuse which came with the job.

One source said: “The amount of shit he got from people because he’s Muslim would have been off the scale – why do you need that sort of shit?

“He was working 15 hour days for eight months and wasn’t even being paid.

“I don’t think there’s malice in him, he was just inexperienced when it came to politics. But there’s no doubt that the work he did was at least in part responsible for the party’s recent success.”

Gawain Towler, who was sacked as Reform’s chief spin doctor by Yusuf, dismissed the idea that the chairman’s departure will precipitate the party’s implosion.

“Those are just comfortable feelings for people who need comfort,” he said. “The party will go onwards and upwards from here.”

Reform UK Chairman Zia Yusuf Resigns With Parting Jibe After Burqa Row

Posted on 05/06/2025 by Boris Clair

Zia Yusuf has resigned as the chairman of Reform UK amid a row within the party around whether burqas should be banned.

He announced his shock decision on X, claiming he no longer believed that “working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time”.

It came just hours after he publicly accused Reform MP Sarah Pochin of asking a “dumb” question at PMQs on Wednesday.

She had asked Keir Starmer whether he would ban the burqa, despite the fact that it is not Reform policy.

Announcing his resignation, Yusuf 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.”

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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…

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 5, 2025

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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…

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 5, 2025

Banning the burqa, which is typically worn by Muslim women to cover their whole bodies aside from their eyes, is not even Reform’s policy.

A spokesman told HuffPost UK the party wanted to see “a national debate” on the issue.

Right-wing media personality Katie Hopkins then asked on X if party chairman Zia Yusuf was behind that quote.

Yusuf quickly hit back on Thursday morning, writing: “Nothing to do with me. Had no idea about the question nor that it wasn’t policy. Busy with other stuff.”

He added: “I do think it’s dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn’t do.”

In a separate post he wrote: “Just to be clear, I learnt about the question and the party’s position re it not being policy for the first time on my X feed.

“I’m busy with UK DOGE,” he noted, referring to Reform’s plan to mimic Elon Musk’s cost-cutting “department of government efficiency” which advises the White House.

Meanwhile, Reform MP for Ashfield, Lee Anderson, wrote on X that the burqa should be banned, adding: “No one should be allowed to hide their identity in public.”

Commenting on Yusuf’s resignation, Reform leader Nigel Farage wrote: “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 May 1st 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.”

Reform UK has been contacted for further comment.”

A Labour Party 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. Reform are just not serious.

“The Reform chair has done a runner so that he doesn’t have to front up Farage’s £80 billion in unfunded cuts, which would spark a Liz Truss-style economic meltdown.”

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “By sacking himself, Zia Yusuf seems to be leading the ‘UK DOGE’ by example. You have to admire his commitment to the cause.

“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.”

Rachel Reeves To Spend Billions In Red Wall In Bid To See Off Reform Threat

Posted on 04/06/2025 by Boris Clair

Billions of pounds of public money are to be spent on new transport projects across the Midlands and north of England as Labour tries to see off the threat of Reform UK.

Rachel Reeves is ripping up Treasury rules so the government can invest more in Red Wall areas where support for Nigel Farage’s party is on the rise.

The chancellor will unveil the £15.6 billion plans in a major speech on Wednesday ahead of next week’s government spending review.

She will announce “a step change in how government approaches and evaluates the case for investing in our regions” following a review of the Treasury’s Green Book, which assesses the costs and benefits of major public projects.

Reeves will say that has been done “to make sure that this government gives every region a fair hearing when it comes to investments”, amid concerns that too much taxpayers’ money is spent in the South East.

Among the projects set to be given the green light is the Metro extension linking Washington to Newcastle and Sunderland, and the renewal of South Yorkshire’s tram network.

A metro extension to Birmingham’s sports quarter is also set to be built, while the Metrolink tram network in Greater Manchester will get new stops in Bury, Oldham and Stockport town centre.

Ministers say the projects will create jobs, boost economic growth and improve commutes for locals.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander, said: “Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the north and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life.

“For too long, people in the north and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve.

“With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off.”

A Treasury source denied that the government announcement was being driven by Labour nervousness at the growing popularity of Reform.

The source told HuffPost UK: “It’s about showing we’re delivering. People want change and investment. We are delivering that.”

Nigel Farage Accused Of ‘Fantasy Economics’ Over Plan To Cut Public Spending By £400 Billion

Posted on 01/06/2025 by Boris Clair

Nigel Farage has been accused of “fantasy economics” after Reform UK’s chairman said the party would slash up to £400 billion a year of public spending in its first term in office if it wins the next election.

Zia Yusuf insisted the party could find the huge savings by cutting back on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) schemes, scrapping Net Zero policies and slashing quangos.

Speaking on Sky News on Sunday, he said Farage was “crazy about” the plan.

He said: “When was the last time you had a political leader in this country with a real shot at Downing Street, calling for £300 to £400 billion of cuts in the first term of government?

“I cannot remember it inside my lifetime, he was really crazy about this. Almost all of those cuts would actually improve the lives of British people. That is the state of decay in this country.”

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Zia Yusuf(chair Reform) tells #TrevorPhillips, with a straight face, that Reform is \"calling for £300b to £400b of cuts in public spending in there 1st term of government… & those cuts will improve the lives of British people…\" 🤔#bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/4MxJSUEIe8

— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) June 1, 2025

","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺","author_url":"https://twitter.com/Haggis_UK","cache_age":86400,"description":"Zia Yusuf(chair Reform) tells #TrevorPhillips, with a straight face, that Reform is \"calling for £300b to £400b of cuts in public spending in there 1st term of government… & those cuts will improve the lives of British people…\" 🤔#bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/4MxJSUEIe8— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) June 1, 2025\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1929124543395676160/pu/img/fgy-Shrel8O0dvtA.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":1152,"title":"Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 on Twitter / 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Zia Yusuf(chair Reform) tells #TrevorPhillips, with a straight face, that Reform is “calling for £300b to £400b of cuts in public spending in there 1st term of government… & those cuts will improve the lives of British people…” 🤔#bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/4MxJSUEIe8

— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) June 1, 2025

But a Labour spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage’s fantasy economics would supercharge the chaos inflicted by Liz Truss, crash the economy, destroy jobs, ruin the public services working people rely on, and add £5,500 onto the average family’s mortgage – it would be a disaster for Britain.

“Farage and Reform simply can’t be trusted to look after your family’s finances, or the country’s.”

Tory chairman Nigel Huddleston said: “Reform have given up any pretence of being a serious party. Nigel Farage now wants hardworking taxpayers to foot the bill for unlimited welfare, while handing out fantasy pledges with numbers that don’t even begin to add up.

“Reform have abandoned any principles and embraced Corbyn-style chaos. Farage says Corbyn was ‘pretty much right’ and his chair boasts of slashing £300 billion from public services without naming a single department.

“It’s pure populist theatre – uncosted, unserious, and utterly unfit for government. If voters want socialism draped in a Union Jack, sold with a pint and a wink, Reform’s their party.

“But if they want lower taxes, secure borders, and grown-up government, that’s the Conservatives.”

A Liberal Democrat source said: If Zia Yusuf and Reform were as serious about fixing the economy as they claim they are, they would not have a leader endorsing Trussonomics and pandering to Donald Trump, who has caused British businesses so much misery with his war on trade.

“They are not a serious opposition to this government, just like the Conservatives.”

Keir Starmer Warns Nigel Farage’s ‘Mad Experiment’ Would Ruin Economy Like Liz Truss

Posted on 29/05/2025 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer will warn that Nigel Farage’s “fantasy” economics would be just as damaging for the country as Liz Truss’s mini-Budget.

The prime minister is set to hit out at the Reform UK leader in a speech on Thursday, two days after Farage targeted traditional Labour voters.

He described the PM as “unpatriotic” and “out of touch”, while also promising to scrap two of Starmer’s most unpopular policies: the two-child benefit cap and the restrictions on winter fuel payments for pensioners.

Farage also pledged to make sure that no one earning less than £20,000 will have to pay any income tax, a policy that the Institute for Fiscal Studies said could cost up to £80 billion.

According to the latest YouGov poll, support for Reform UK is at 29%, eight points ahead of Labour and 10 in front of the Conservatives.

Delivering a speech at a manufacturing business in the North West, Starmer will say: “In opposition we said Liz Truss would crash the economy and leave you to pick the bill. We were right, and we were elected to fix that mess.

“Now in government, we are once again fighting the same fantasy – this time from Nigel Farage.

“Farage is making the exact same bet Liz Truss did – that you can spend tens of billions on tax cuts without a proper way of paying for it.

“And just like Truss, he is using your family finances, your mortgage, your bills as a gambling chip on his mad experiment. The result will be the same.

“Liz Truss bet the house and lost – £45 billion in unfunded tax cuts, with no means to pay for them.

“Markets reacted, the economy tanked and we’re all still paying the price for mortgages, rents and bills that spiralled out of control.”

Challenged by reporters on how he would pay for his policies, Farage said: “You can argue about numbers adding up. You can probably argue that at no point in the history of any form of government has anybody ever thought their numbers added up.”

He added: “We take a fresh approach to everything. I think what I’ve done today is to give you an idea of the direction of policy, of priorities, of what we think is important, what we think it is going to cost and how we think we’re going to pay for it.

“I don’t think anybody at this stage, with a general election some years away, could frankly do more than that. And I believe what I have presented today is credible.”

Nigel Farage Dubbed A ‘Part-Time Leader’ After Missing EU Debate To Go On Holiday

Posted on 20/05/2025 by Boris Clair

Nigel Farage has been dubbed a “part-time leader” after he missed a crunch Commons debate because he is on holiday.

The Reform UK leader confirmed he was taking his “first overseas break for three years” while Keir Starmer faced questions on the deal he has struck with the EU.

The leading Brexiteer has been notable by his absence since the PM finalised the agreement with Brussels bosses at a summit on Monday.

And the mystery deepened when he failed to turn up to quiz the PM in parliament today.

In a statement issued afterwards, Farage said: “There seems to be great consternation in the press that they have not seen me for 48 hours. Well, they will have to wait some time.

“After months of touring the UK in the run up to our hugely successful local election campaign I will resume travelling the country next week as Reform moves to the next stage.

“Meanwhile I am having my first overseas break for three years, the jungle excepted. Well I say break.. plenty of articles and fundraising calls!”

Ironically, parliament is in recess next week, meaning Farage would have been free to go on holiday then without missing any Commons debates.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The part-time leader of Reform UK is sunning himself in Europe while parliament is sitting. He clearly doesn’t have the stamina to stand up to Starmer.

“Only the Conservatives are providing proper opposition to this disastrous Labour government.”

A Labour spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage clearly cares so passionately about this issue he’s decided he can’t get up from his sunbed to represent his constituents or his party.

“He’s not a leader – he’s an opportunist who just talks Britain down whenever it suits him.”

Farage Mocked After Reform Leave Liz Truss Off List Of Tory Leaders Who ‘Broke Britain’ – Exclusive

Posted on 13/05/2025 by Boris Clair

Nigel Farage has been mocked after Reform UK left Liz Truss off a list of Tory leaders who “broke Britain”.

The former prime minister, who only last 49 days in office, was conspicuous by her absence from a Reform election leaflet seen by HuffPost UK.

The pamphlet shows pictures of former Conservative PMs Theresa May, Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson and David Cameron, as well as current leader Kemi Badenoch.

Underneath it says: “In 14 years, the Conservatives broke Britain. Their record in government must not be forgotten.”

The Reform UK leaflet with no mention of Truss.

But Truss’s omission from the line-up has raised eyebrows, especially since Farage famously praised the disastrous mini-Budget in 2022 which crashed the economy and ended her premiership.

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Today was the best Conservative budget since 1986.

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) September 23, 2022

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Today was the best Conservative budget since 1986.

— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) September 23, 2022

Farage was also roasted by Keir Starmer last month amid reports that Truss was advising Reform UK.

Meanwhile, a Reform UK “manifesto” published by Farage in the Daily Mail last Saturday also drew unfavourable comparisons with Truss’s time in office.

Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal said: “It beggars belief that Nigel Farage is letting Liz Truss off scot-free on his leaflets.

“As he parades his new Truss-style unfunded ‘manifesto’, it appears he’s forgotten her disastrous mini-Budget crashed the economy and sent people’s mortgages soaring.

“Perhaps Nigel Farage thinks her time in office was a success. He’s copying her approach to economic vandalism, and backing her record. That’s a kick in the teeth for people still paying the price for her reckless time in office.

“The toxic Truss-Farage partnership would need nothing short of a disaster for Britain.”

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.

Reform UK Is Gaining Voters’ Trust Across The Country – But Is It Already Misleading The Public?

Posted on 09/05/2025 by Boris Clair

Nigel Farage’s success in last week’s local elections proved Reform UK can transform opinion poll leads into tangible results.

And it looks increasingly likely that the right-wing party’s leader – who was only elected to be the Clacton MP last July – just might be in with a chance of entering No.10 at the next general election, expected in 2029.

Even his rivals, such as Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden, have agreed he might be on course for a major electoral win unless they take drastic action.

Reform UK’s sudden popularity has shaken up Britain’s traditional two-party political system by comprehensively defeating both Labour and the Conservatives at last week’s local elections.

They even managed to overturn a 14,700 majority to win the Runcorn and Helsby by-election from Labour.

Voters are increasingly drawn to the insurgent party because they believe it will bring change the country after 14 years of disappointing Tory rule and 10 lacklustre months from Labour.

In fact, in January, 19% of potential Reform voters told YouGov they believe Farage’s party is better than its opponents.

A further 11% said they valued Reform’s new approach to politics and welcomed the change they brought, while 8% said they were honest or trustworthy.

But HuffPost UK has found at least five examples where the populist group has apparently misled the public…

‘Remove DEI from Lincolnshire council’

Andrea Jenkyns promised to remove Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) workers from the Lincolnshire county council when she was elected as Reform UK’s first mayor last week.

But, as a Freedom of Information request from the Independent proved, there are no DEI workers in this council.

Reform claims these employees are known as “outreach officers” in North Lincolnshire Council, and hidden under different titles in Lincolnshire County Council.

‘No more work from home’

Farage has repeatedly promised to introduce “no more work from home” which he claims would lead to “increased productivity.”

Reform claim it is unreasonable for staff paid from the public purse to be working from home.

It was then revealed that Reform UK has several paid jobs on offer right now, including “regional director” which include “home working with occasional travel”.

Labour MP Stella Creasy wrote on X that the hypocrisy was “glorious”, although Reform party chair Zia Yusuf replied that, “Reform has no plans to legislate against private companies letting their employees work from home”.

He also claimed Reform can only afford one office right now.

The party alleges that it is “unreasonable” to expect regional directors to be in London five days a week, but all employees based in the capital do work from the office every day.

Britain's Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage is interviewed by Associated Press at their headquarters in Clacton-On-Sea, Essex, England, Friday, June 21, 2024. — Britain’s Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage is interviewed by Associated Press at their headquarters in Clacton-On-Sea, Essex, England, Friday, June 21, 2024.

‘We need a British DOGE for councils’

Reform UK is keen to introduce a British version of Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency” (DOGE) and “send in the auditors” to all of the 10 councils the party now controls.

“The whole thing has to change. We need a British DOGE for every count and every local authority in this country,” Farage said.

Reform insists there are plenty of examples of councils wasting public money where funds can be redirected to fund vital local services like potholes, adult social care and SEND provision.

But the National Audit Office has previously warned many councils are already so overstretched, they are facing bankruptcy after years of cuts.

Head of the spending watchdog Gareth Davies said in February: “There have been repeated delays to local government finance reform and government can no longer resort to short-term solutions to support local authorities.

“Action to address this must resolve the systemic weaknesses in local government financial sustainability through a comprehensive, cross-government approach.”

Reform will ‘resist’ all asylum seekers

Farage has promised to “resist” asylum seekers being housed in all of the new councils that Reform controls.

He said these people were being “dumped into the north of England, getting everything for free”.

Reform councils have promised to use every legal opportunity, including judicial reviews, injunctions and planning laws, to stop this.

But the asylum system is managed by the Home Office, so it’s not clear if Reform UK could make good on its promise.

‘Net stupid zero’ is ‘destroying’ jobs

Farage’s party has promised to use “every lever” to block “net stupid zero” projects.

Claiming these policies destroy jobs and hinder economic growth, Reform UK says it wants to drill more in oil and gas in the North Sea.

The party argues this would make Britain self-sufficient with its energy supply, as the UK currently has some of the highest industrial energy prices in the world.

But the government is legally committed to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, and the already depleted supplies in the North Sea are exported out of the country anyway – meaning more drilling there will not help reduce British energy costs.

Analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit also found that, in Greater Lincolnshire alone, net zero industries add 12,209 jobs and around £980m to the local economy.

What does this mean?

Reform UK has already attracted significant scepticism around just how it will deliver on its long list of promises, especially as Farage has repeatedly dodged questions about how he intends to fund his party’s policies.

Paul Nowak, head of the Trade Union Congress, described Farage as a “political fraud and a hypocrite” who “makes Liz Truss look like a politician with integrity” last month.

HuffPost UK’s compiled list has drawn backlash from Reform’s opponents, too.

Sarah Olney, the Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “So far Reform UK have been too busy cosying up to Donald Trump and fighting amongst themselves to actually get anything done for local people.

“Instead of undermining our national energy security and being an apologist for Putin’s regime, Nigel Farage should be focusing on what really matters to communities from sorting out the SEND crisis to better community policing.

“The local elections showed that Liberal Democrats are the only party holding up against Reform, because we’re local champions who get the job done.”

A Reform UK spokesman said: “Reform UK made history in these local elections, being the first party other than the Conservatives or Labour in modern British history to win this set of elections.

“The British public have elected Reform councillors with a clear mandate to cut waste, improve services and bring about serious change. That’s exactly what we’re here to do.”

Only time will tell whether Reform’s inconsistencies will hamper their skyrocketing popularity.

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