Top Reform politicians have criticised Zia Yusuf over “nasty” comments he made suggesting the favourite Labour candidate to replace Sir Keir Starmer in the upcoming Holborn and St Pancras by-election is not British.
Sagal Abdi-Wali, a former child refugee from Somalia and the current leader of Camden council, has been tipped as an early front-runner to take over from Sir Keir, who is stepping down as an MP in his London constituency.
Following the reports, Reform’s home affairs spokesman Mr Yusuf wrote on social media: “The front runner being foisted on the people of Holborn by Labour to replace the former prime minister Keir Starmer in our Parliament was born in Somalia.
“Do you understand what’s happening?”
The comments were widely criticised at Reform’s annual political conference in Birmingham this weekend.
Laila Cunningham, the party’s candidate for Mayor of London and the daughter of immigrants from Egypt, told the Standard: “I don't know what he meant by that comment. I read it a few times.
“I didn't understand what he meant by that comment. Of course, you know, that woman is British. She's the leader of Camden council. I didn't understand what he meant by that.”
Former Tory cabinet minister Nadine Dorries, who defected to Reform UK last year, branded Mr Yusuf’s remark “nasty”.
She told Times Radio: “It was a nasty tweet. Zia Yousuf is a brilliant man, and he's a genius actually, and he's an incredible communicator.
“I wish he closed down his Twitter account.”
She added: “I didn't think it was a very nice tweet, and I think you know he's tweeted something about me just recently, which wasn't very pleasant.
“I think Zia's got a problem with Twitter. Someone needs to take his phone off him.”
It comes as Reform leader Nigel Farage has faced a row over his ambitious home affairs spokesman “running to replace him”.
Multi-millionaire businessman Mr Yusuf is leading the party’s campaign on cutting immigration and tackling the “small boats” Channel crisis.
He is also suspected by some Reform backers of harbouring leadership hopes if Mr Farage were to stand aside following investigations about party donations and his personal funding.
On the morning of delivering his keynote speech to the party’s annual rally in Birmingham, he posted on X a 3.35 minute clip entitled: “This is my story.”
In it, he speaks about his family, where he grew up, his first job and how he successfully built a business in London employing hundreds of people.
It was suggested that the profile-video was of the type often put out by politicians seeking to become a party leader or win an election and it sparked swift comments on his ambitions.
Mr Yusuf is a controversial figure within the party, having previously resigned as chairman after saying it was "dumb" for new Reform MP Sarah Pochin to call for a burka ban.
