The former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has been unveiled by Nigel Farage as Reform UK’s newest heavyweight political recruit.
However, critical comments that both men made about each other in the past have led to awkward questions for Zahawi and his new party leader.
Zahawi on Farage
“I’m not British Born Mr @Nigel_Farage I am as British as u r. Yr comments r offensive&racist. I wld be frightened 2live in country run by U.”
– Zahawi in a 2015 tweet, which was only deleted on Monday as he announced his defection to Reform UK.
The tweet appears to have been in response to a broadcast interview in 2015 in which Farage was asked if he was in favour of keeping laws that ban employment discrimination on the grounds of race or colour. Farage answered “no” though later claimed he had been “wilfully misrepresented”.
“What’s frightening is that in Farage’s Britain people like me could be lawfully discriminated against and British businesses would be encouraged to bin our CVs.”
– Zahawi in an article for Conservative Home in March 2015, in which he elaborated on the comments he had made on Twitter about the then Ukip leader.
“Welfare and skills are two policy areas which we hear very little about from the UKIP leader. This is unsurprising because they require deep thought and serious long-term reform rather than the angry slogans which are his stock in trade.”
– Zahawi in the same article.
“no chance. Been a Conservative all my life and will die a Conservative.”
– Zahawi in September 2014, in a tweet in which he tagged Nigel Farage and UKIP.
“Farage has run for political office SIX times and been an MEP for FIFTEEN yrs – he’s as establishment as they come #leadersdebate.”
– Zahawi Twitter post during the 2015 general election.
Farage on Zahawi
“I thought Zahawi had principles, but tonight we learned all he’s interested in is climbing that greasy pole.”
– Nigel Farage in an interview with GB News in July 2022 after Boris Johnson appointed Zahawi as chancellor of the exchequer after the resignation of Rishi Sunak.
“I don’t think farce can even sum it up. It’s been obvious for a week that Zahawi would be fired and sure enough … it doesn’t say much about Zahawi’s affairs. I mean, hey, if you’re chancellor of the exchequer and you have to pay money to the taxpayer. It’s not a good look.”
– Farage in a video posted online after Zahawi was sacked in 2023 as Tory party chair, after an ethics inquiry found he had failed to disclose that HMRC was investigating his taxes.
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