Reform UK Chairman Zia Yusuf has announced his resignation following a public disagreement with the party’s newest MP over policy matters.
The resignation comes after Yusuf criticized Runcorn MP Sarah Pochin’s question during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, where she asked whether the UK would follow other European countries in banning the burqa. Yusuf described the question as inappropriate, stating that he was unaware of it in advance and that it did not represent party policy.
In his resignation announcement on social media, 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.”
The timing coincides with Reform’s campaign in the Hamilton by-election for the Scottish parliament. Recent polling by Techne UK shows Reform maintaining a strong position with 31 percent support, ahead of Labour’s 23 percent and the Conservatives’ 17 percent.
Techne chief executive Michela Morizzo noted the party’s strong polling position while acknowledging uncertainty about potential effects from the chairman’s departure.
This represents the second significant internal dispute within Reform this year. In March, MP Rupert Lowe was removed from the party following disagreements that began with Yusuf in December. Lowe continues to pursue legal action for defamation against Yusuf. Several former party members, including ex-deputy leader Ben Habib and former London mayoral candidate Howard Cox, had previously called for Yusuf’s removal.
Despite internal tensions, the Reform achieved significant gains in May’s local elections. Party leader Nigel Farage had credited Yusuf’s organizational efforts for these successes.
Responding to the resignation, 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 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.”
The disagreement originated when Pochin asked Prime Minister Keir Starmer, “Given the prime minister’s desire to strengthen strategic alignment with our European neighbors, will he, in the interest of public safety, follow the lead of France, Belgium, Denmark, and others and ban the burqa?” Starmer declined to engage with the proposal.
Yusuf subsequently stated it was inappropriate for the party to ask the prime minister to implement something the party itself wouldn’t propose. A Reform spokesperson later confirmed that banning burqas is not official party policy.
Reports suggest Yusuf had been removed from the party’s cost-cutting project for Reform-controlled councils and was no longer handling daily party management before his resignation.
Raheem Kassam, a Farage ally, commented, “I said months ago something like this would happen because in such a new party with many competing personalities and priorities, being chairman or even leader is an almost thankless and gargantuan task. Pressure getting the better of Zia Yusuf should make people even more appreciative of Nigel Farage’s personal indefatigability.”
Andy Wigmore and Arron Banks, long-term Farage associates known for their role in the Brexit campaign, are being mentioned as potential successors to the chairman position.
Opposition parties have responded to the development. A Labour MP commented on the situation, while Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper MP 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.”
Georgie Laming, director of campaigns at Hope Not Hate, said, “Just hours after a row over a proposed burqa ban, infighting has once again caused chaos within Nigel Farage’s political project. Zia Yusuf has declared that it’s not worthwhile trying to get Reform UK electedโif Farage’s own chairman thinks this, what confidence does this give voters? We know Farage has a long history of not tolerating any dissent. There is a vast list of people who have left his parties over the years, and it looks like Zia Yusuf is one of them.”
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