The resignation of Zia Yusuf as Reform UK’s chairman matters because he was a central character in the stand out trend in British politics since the general election – the rise and rise of Nigel Farage’s party.
After 11 months in the role, Yusuf said on Thursday that working to get the party elected was no longer “a good use of my time”, without expanding further.
Farage described Yusuf as a huge factor in Reform’s success in last month’s elections, but added that he believed he had “had enough” of politics.
It comes after Yusuf said it was “dumb” for Reform’s newest MP to call for a ban for the burka – a veil worn by some Muslim women that covers the face and body.
Why Zia Yusuf’s resignation matters for Reform UK, Chris Mason, Political editor, BBC
Day: 6 June 2025
Question about a ban on burkas from Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin “dumb”.
The unelected chair of the party stood down from his role in the party, following a row in which he called a question from a Reform MP about banning burkas “dumb”.
Zia Yusuf: Chairman of Reform UK resigns, Sky News
Zia Yusuf resigns as Reform UK chairman
Zia Yusuf has resigned as the chairman of Reform UK, saying working to get the party elected was no longer “a good use of my time”.
Zia Yusuf resigns as Reform UK chairman, BBC
Fiscal recklessness aside, it’s the super-rich who’ll benefit from Reform UK policies
Nigel Farage claimed last week to speak for the working class but he is still firmly wedded to the rightwing playbook
For a politician who has done more than most to shape Britain’s current challenges, nothing seems to stick to Nigel Farage. Not the chaos of the post-Brexit referendum years; or the contradiction of his closed-border English nationalism combined with a fondness for courting nomad capitalists from Malaysia to Mar-a-Lago.
[…]
However, something is lost in the argument about Farageonomics. Not only are the party’s numbers hardly better than scribblings on the back of one of its leader’s umpteen fag packets, but there is a more fundamental problem: his plans would not help the communities that Reform claims to champion.
Fiscal recklessness aside, it’s the super-rich who’ll benefit from Reform UK policies, Richard Partington, The Guardian
Inferior pension schemes won’t create savings nor recruit vital staff
Commenting on remarks made by Richard Tice about preventing new recruits to Reform-controlled councils from joining the local government pension scheme alongside threats to cut the pay of existing employees, UNISON assistant general secretary Jon Richards said today (Thursday):
“This looks like another Reform UK policy scribbled on the back of a beer mat.
“Local authorities are obliged to offer access to the local government pension scheme to all new starters.
“The scheme is well-funded and affordable. Many council employees aren’t on final salary schemes anyway.
“Forcing council staff on to inferior pensions would leave retired workers much poorer and add to the already severe recruitment crisis in local government.
“Employees’ pensions aren’t the reason why many councils are on a financial precipice. It’s the decade and more of draconian budget cuts under Conservative governments.
“Reform claims to be on the side of workers. But declaring ‘war’ on low-paid staff won’t serve communities or cut budgets.”
Reform UK’s pension plan deserves early retirement, www.unison.org.uk
Reform councillors aged 19 and 22 in charge of children’s and adult services at local authority
Social workers raise questions over clash of values and lack of experience of new lead members at Leicestershire County Council
Concerns are mounting over the appointment of two Reform councillors as political leads for children’s and adults services in Leicestershire.
Joseph Boam, 22, now heads up adult social care at Leicestershire County Council (LCC), and Charles Pugsley, 19, who is still at university, has been made cabinet member for children and family services.
The pair were appointed following the local elections in May, and are responsible for multi-million pound budgets.
Reform councillors aged 19 and 22 in charge of children’s and adult services at local authority, basw.co.uk
