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Becky Morton, a political reporter, discussed the recent resignation of Zia Yusuf from his position as Chairman of Reform UK. Nigel Farage, leader of the party, expressed sadness at Yusuf’s departure, stating that he was a significant contributor to the party’s recent successes in various elections. Yusuf cited his belief that working towards electing a Reform government was no longer a productive use of his time as his reason for stepping down.
Yusuf had taken on the role of chairman of Reform UK just after the general election last year, having previously been affiliated with the Conservative Party. Known as a former banker who had sold a tech start-up for over £200m, he considered himself a proud British Muslim patriot. With a substantial donation to Reform during the general election campaign, Yusuf was tasked with professionalizing the party, securing donors, and expanding the activist base.
Amid his resignation, Yusuf had been leading Reform’s DOGE teams, aimed at cutting wasteful spending in local councils now under the party’s control. The acronym was inspired by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency in the US. His unexpected decision to resign followed his advocacy for the DOGE initiative in recent days, which only launched formally shortly before his departure. Despite previous praise for Farage as a potential prime minister, Yusuf’s exit drew mixed reactions from political figures, with the Labour Party questioning Reform’s credibility.
Reform UK has shown an increase in support in national polls since the last general election, where it secured 14.3% of the vote and five MPs. However, internal conflicts have plagued the party, leading to the expulsion of MP Rupert Lowe over allegations of harassment and threats against Yusuf. Despite an investigation clearing Lowe of criminal charges related to the threats, questions arose regarding how someone without political experience like Yusuf gained significant influence within Reform
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