The chairman of Reform UK has quit, saying working to get the party elected was no longer “a good use of my time”.
Zia Yusuf’s decision follows a row in which he described a question to the Prime Minister concerning a ban on burkas from his party’s newest MP as “dumb”.
Announcing his resignation on Thursday afternoon, 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.”
Earlier, he had criticised the party’s newest MP, Sarah Pochin, after she asked Sir Keir Starmer whether he would support banning the burka during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday – something that appears not to be a policy of Reform’s.
Asked about the question on social media, Mr Yusuf had said: “Nothing to do with me. Had no idea about the question nor that it wasn’t policy. Busy with other stuff.
“I do think it’s dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn’t do.”
Mr Yusuf’s resignation comes on the day Reform hopes to cause an upset in Scotland, where it is contesting a Holyrood by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
Scottish First Minister John Swinney has described the contest as a “two-horse race” between his SNP and Reform.
Following Mr Yusuf’s resignation, Reform leader Nigel Farage said he was “genuinely sorry” that he had decided to stand down, paying tribute to him as “enormously talented” and “a huge factor in our success” at the local elections.
Mr Farage added: “Politics can be a highly pressured and difficult game and Zia has clearly had enough. He is a loss to us and public life.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “Nigel Farage could fit all of his MPs in the back of a cab, yet he can’t stop them fighting among themselves.
“Reform only guarantees more Liz Truss-style chaos. Their £80 billion of unfunded commitments would lead to economic meltdown and put up everyone’s mortgage and bills. They’re just not credible.”
