Zia Yusuf “un-resigned” from Reform in an X post today – after quitting the chairmanship and the party on Friday and saying he no longer believed in the party, follwing a row over calls to ban the burqa
Reform UK has been thrown into yet further chaos today – after its former party chairman returned to the party just 48 hours after quitting.
Zia Yusuf “un-resigned” from Reform in an X post today – after quitting the chairmanship and the party on Friday.
The chaotic episode will prompt comparisons to Nigel Farage’s bizarre decision to “un-resign” as leader of Ukip after a few days in 2015.
Yusuf dramatically quit on Friday after criticising its MPs for calling for a burka ban.
He tweeted: “11 months ago I became Chairman of Reform. I’ve worked full time as a volunteer to take the party from 14 to 30%, quadrupled its membership and delivered historic electoral results.”
In a parting jibe, he added: “I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.”
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It comes only hours after he criticised newly elected Reform MP Sarah Pochin for demanding a ban on the burka at Prime Minister’s Questions.
But today, Mr Yusuf posted another lengthy message on X, saying: “I know the mission is too important and I cannot let people down.
“So, I will be continuing my work with Reform, my commitment redoubled.”
He said he would not be returning as chairman, but to head up Reform’s Elon Musk cosplay group UK Doge, which he claims will cut local government waste.
The future of the group, launched to much media attention last week, was thrown into doubt after Yusuf’s resignation – followed by the resignation of tech entrepreneur Nathaniel Fried.
Zia Yusuf’s statement in full
Over the last 24 hours I have received a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages from people who have expressed their dismay at my resignation, urging me to reconsider.
After 11 months of working as a volunteer to build a political party from scratch, with barely a single day off, my tweet was a decision born of exhaustion.
I only came into politics out of a sense of duty, to serve the country I love. The country that had been so kind to my parents and presented me with immense opportunity.
Out of a sense of duty to do whatever I could to reverse decades of decline and make this a country one in which we could be excited for our children to grow up.
I came into politics out of belief that Nigel Farage was the man to deliver that. Having read the messages, I believe in these things more than ever. I know the mission is too important and I cannot let people down.
So, I will be continuing my work with Reform, my commitment redoubled. Reform has come a long way since I was appointed Chairman, and has moved from ‘startup’ to ‘scaleup’.
Given this, and that we have now won power at a local level, I will focus on a new role.
I will be running the UK DOGE team to fight for taxpayers, as well as working on party policy and representing it in the media.
I will continue to give all my time to the most important project of my life, getting a Reform government elected with Nigel as Prime Minister.