Zia Yusuf resigns as Reform UK chairman after internal dispute

Zia Yusuf has stepped down as chairman of Reform UK, dealing a blow to the party just weeks after its strongest electoral performance to date. Yusuf, a tech entrepreneur and former Conservative donor, announced his resignation on social media, stating he no longer believed working to elect a Reform government was "a good use" of his time.

His departure comes on the heels of a public disagreement with newly elected Reform MP Sarah Pochin, who used her first question in Parliament to ask Prime Minister Keir Starmer whether the government would ban the burka. Yusuf had described her intervention as "dumb", criticising the party for pressing the government on policies it did not officially support.

The controversy highlighted deeper tensions within the party. Yusuf, who joined Reform after the 2024 general election, had been central to its rapid professionalisation, overseeing a quadrupling of its membership and boosting national polling to over 30%. His background in finance and technology was viewed as an asset in leadership. Nigel Farage aimed to position the party as a serious contender on the political right.

Reform UK has recently seen a surge in support, securing a parliamentary by-election win and more than 600 new councillors in the May local elections. But its rise has been accompanied by internal strife. Former MP Rupert Lowe was expelled earlier this year following allegations of harassment and threats against Yusuf, though no criminal charges were brought.

Nigel Farage expressed regret over Yusuf’s departure, calling him "enormously talented" and "a huge factor" in the party’s success. But critics argue the resignation signals deeper instability. As the party eyes further electoral gains, questions remain over whether it can maintain unity—or whether it will be undermined by growing ideological fractures and power struggles at the top.