[REVISION HISTORY]

Reform UK internal controversies and criminal investigation

Updated 7 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-10 09:34 UTC → 2026-09-11 23:54 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Reform UK internal ~~disciplinary and political~~ controversies and criminal investigation

Reform UK has faced a series of internal disciplinary actions and political controversies. The party suspended Kirklees councillor David Rowan following the discovery of historic social media posts, including remarks regarding LGBTQ+ rights, support for Tommy Robinson, and derogatory comments about former Speaker John Bercow. Internal friction escalated with the suspension of board member Tim ~~Montgomerie.~~ Montgomerie, who later resigned citing a lack of professionalism and internal factionalism. Montgomerie criticized home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf, describing his behavior as that of a “child” and a “freelance” commentator. He also criticized Nigel Farage for adopting a “too dominant aggrieved tone” and failing to attend the Clacton by-election victory count. Deputy leader Richard Tice defended the suspension, stating internal disagreements should be handled “behind closed doors.” Zia Yusuf remains a central figure in party ~~divisions. His rhetoric, including~~ divisions, facing scrutiny for rhetoric labeling former Conservative Defence Secretary Ben Wallace a “traitor,” led Conservative shadow defence minister Mark Francois to rule out electoral pacts. Yusuf has also faced scrutiny for social media activity involving insults directed at Members of Parliament “traitor” and ~~rifts with former Conservative MPs. In September 2026, Yusuf faced~~ accusations of “straightforward racism” from Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds ~~following social media comments~~ regarding ~~Sagal Abdi-Wali,~~ comments about a potential Labour candidate born in Somalia. While some party members described the remarks as “nasty,” Reform UK economic spokesperson Robert Jenrick rejected the allegations, arguing it is legitimate to question if candidates are committed to the country’s interests. Following these events, Tim Montgomerie resigned from the party, citing a lack of professionalism, internal factionalism, and a disorganized headquarters. candidate. The party is currently under criminal investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Special Enquiry Team following an undercover investigation by Channel 4 News and the Verbatim collective. The probe concerns allegations of breaching electoral laws regarding foreign donations. Footage reportedly captured senior officials discussing methods to bypass laws prohibiting donations from non-UK citizens, such as channeling funds from an American financier through a UK-based relative. In response, the party suspended policy chief James Orr and adviser Dan Jukes. Nigel Farage has denied wrongdoing, characterizing the recorded comments as “loose pub talk” and suggesting the party was targeted by a hoax. Amidst these legal challenges, Reform UK received a £36 million donation from British cryptocurrency billionaire Ben Delo, intended to ensure a ‘fair fight’ in upcoming elections.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.