Reform UK is facing significant internal turmoil amid a growing donations scandal and mounting factional disputes within its leadership. The party, led by Nigel Farage, continues to grapple with allegations involving possible breaches of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, following reports of illegal foreign donations. The matter has prompted investigations by the Metropolitan Police, while two senior party aides, Dan Jukes and James Orr, have temporarily stepped down. Police are currently assessing complaints related to the allegations.
Farage has maintained that Reform UK has not broken any laws, asserting that the party acted appropriately. However, senior party figures acknowledge that the incident has exacerbated existing divisions, particularly ahead of the party’s annual conference held last week in Birmingham. The controversy has exposed fault lines among Reform’s small parliamentary team of eight MPs and its strategic advisers, many of whom have competing ambitions and ideological differences.
Tensions reportedly revolve in part around Zia Yusuf, Reform’s outspoken home affairs spokesman. Yusuf’s remarks on topics such as Afghan nationals’ conviction rates, the existence of “sharia courts” in Britain, and the teaching of the British Empire in schools have drawn widespread criticism and have been fact-checked extensively, often finding his claims to be misleading or unfounded. For instance, the assertion that Afghan nationals are 20 times more likely to be convicted of sexual offences than British nationals has been discredited due to unreliable population estimates. Similarly, the party’s claim regarding sharia courts operating in the UK was contradicted by the fact that only voluntary sharia councils — with no legal jurisdiction — exist within Britain.
The internal discord has spilled over into public disputes between party members. Reform UK chair Lee Anderson and Yusuf reportedly exchanged insults at the conference, with Anderson calling Yusuf a derogatory name and Farage himself allegedly using abusive language toward Yusuf. Moreover, Yusuf is said to have cut communication with Robert Jenrick, the party’s Treasury spokesman and former Conservative MP, fueling factional rivalries. Jenrick and party deputy leader Richard Tice are believed to have formed a tacit alliance to prevent Yusuf from ascending to party leadership should Farage step down.
Other MPs within the party have expressed frustration with Yusuf’s hardline approach. Danny Kruger, the MP for East Wiltshire and a leading figure in Reform’s preparation for government, is reportedly alienated by Yusuf’s rhetoric and is seen as increasingly isolated following Orr’s departure. Meanwhile, Sarah Pochin, Reform’s first female MP, and her ally Anderson are reportedly uncertain about Yusuf’s future within the party, particularly after Yusuf’s brief resignation last year in the wake of controversy over a call for a burqa ban.
The ongoing factionalism and unanswered questions about fundraising compliance have raised doubts about Reform UK’s ability to present a unified front as it seeks to expand its influence ahead of future elections. Party officials have committed to a thorough internal investigation, but the discord suggests that efforts to professionalize the party’s operation and manage internal discord remain a significant challenge.