Zia Yusuf’s 48-Hour Reform UK Meltdown as ‘Horrendous’ Racist Abuse Drives Chairman to Breaking Point

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Exhausted party boss doing ‘job of five people’ dramatically quits after ‘dumb’ burka row – only to perform extraordinary U-turn and return with FOUR new roles as Farage blames ‘Indian bots’ for vile attacks

Reform UK was plunged into fresh chaos this weekend as chairman Zia Yusuf performed an extraordinary political hokey-cokey – sensationally quitting the party before returning just 48 hours later after suffering what insiders describe as a complete exhaustion-fueled breakdown.

The 38-year-old millionaire businessman, who had been subjected to what deputy leader Richard Tice called “horrendous online abuse,” dramatically resigned on Thursday declaring that working to elect a Reform government was no longer “a good use of my time.”

But in a stunning reversal that has left Westminster stunned, Yusuf returned to the fold on Saturday, admitting his departure was a “mistake” born of exhaustion after working “24/7 for 11 months” without a single day off.

The remarkable U-turn came after Reform UK MP Richard Tice revealed the shocking toll the role had taken on Yusuf, telling GB News: “He was doing the job of about five people brilliantly, but he was just exhausted.

‘Absolute Tirade of Racist Abuse’

In an explosive revelation, party leader Nigel Farage disclosed that Yusuf had been subjected to relentless racist attacks online, telling Times Radio: “When Zia says anything you cannot believe the absolute tirade of personal racist abuse that he gets… I just think he snapped.”

Farage pointed the finger at “Indian bots” and attacks “from the very hard extreme right” as the source of the vile abuse that pushed his chairman to breaking point.

Tice confirmed the severity of the attacks, stating: “Zia had received horrendous online abuse, which was just appalling.

The pressure cooker finally exploded when Reform’s newest MP Sarah Pochin asked Prime Minister Keir Starmer about banning the burka during PMQs – a question Yusuf branded “dumb” because it wasn’t party policy, triggering immediate backlash.

From Resignation to Return in 48 Hours

Thursday afternoon saw Yusuf’s bombshell resignation statement on X: “I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.

The announcement sent shockwaves through the party, with Farage expressing being “genuinely sorry” and calling Yusuf “a loss to us and public life.”

But by Saturday evening, following what he described as “a huge number of lovely and heartfelt messages,” Yusuf performed his spectacular about-face.

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,” he admitted in a statement that laid bare the toll of frontline politics.

Four Jobs for the Price of None

In a joint Sunday Times interview with Farage, the details of Yusuf’s return became clear – though his exact title remains undecided, he will effectively be doing “four jobs”:

1. Leading the UK DOGE team – Reform’s version of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to slash public spending
2. Policy formation – Shaping the party’s political direction
3. Fundraising – Wooing donors and building the war chest
4. Media representation – Being the public face alongside Farage

A new chairman will be announced on Tuesday, with the role being split to share the immense workload that broke Yusuf.

‘Welcome Back From Your Holiday!’

The return was met with relief within Reform ranks, with Tice writing on an internal WhatsApp group: “Welcome back Zia. Hope you enjoyed your holiday!”

Speaking to BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Tice defended the chaotic sequence of events: “It’s a massive job and as we were growing incredibly fast, essentially that job was too much for one person, so we’re reorganising.

He praised Yusuf’s achievements: “Zia Yusuf has done a brilliant job in growing the party, creating huge infrastructure, over 400 branches.

The Burka Ban That Broke the Camel’s Back

The crisis was triggered by the ongoing civil war over Sarah Pochin’s controversial PMQs question calling for a burka ban – which Yusuf felt blindsided by.

I certainly did not resign because I have any strong views about the burka itself,” Yusuf clarified, adding that if there were a vote in Parliament, he would “probably vote to ban it actually.

But he revealed his philosophical unease: “I am always a bit uneasy about banning things which, for example, would be unconstitutional in the United States.”

The row highlighted deeper tensions within Reform between its traditional UKIP-style base and Yusuf’s more corporate approach to party management.

Labour’s Scathing Attack

Labour Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves branded the saga a “humiliating hokey-cokey,” declaring: “Reform’s revolving door shows that the party is all about one person – Nigel Farage.

Working people simply can’t afford the risk of economic chaos with Reform UK,” she added, comparing their economic plans to “Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget on steroids.

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson quipped: “It looks like Reform are playing musical chairman.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp twisted the knife further, calling Reform “essentially a protest party” offering “populist policies that are essentially Liz Truss on steroids.

The Man Who Transformed Reform

Despite the chaos, Yusuf’s impact on Reform has been undeniable. Since becoming chairman 11 months ago, he:

• Took the party from 14% to 30% in polls
• Quadrupled membership
• Created over 400 local branches
• Delivered historic election results including Sarah Pochin’s Runcorn victory
• Donated £200,000 of his own money

The former Goldman Sachs banker, whose Sri Lankan parents both worked for the NHS, was brought in to “professionalise” the party – a mission that clearly took its toll.

‘Politics Can Be a Highly Pressured Game’

As Reform UK attempts to move forward from this extraordinary episode, questions remain about the party’s stability and Yusuf’s ability to handle the pressure of his new four-pronged role.

Farage himself acknowledged the brutal reality: “Politics can be a highly pressured and difficult game and Zia has clearly had enough.

With a new chairman to be announced Tuesday and Yusuf’s workload theoretically reduced, Reform is betting that spreading the burden will prevent another breakdown.

But as one insider noted: “If he couldn’t handle one job without snapping, how’s he going to manage four?”

For now, Yusuf is back – exhausted, battle-scarred, but determined to continue what he calls “the most important project of my life, getting a Reform Government elected with Nigel as Prime Minister.

Whether he can withstand the “horrendous” abuse and pressure remains to be seen. As Tice joked about his two-day absence: “Well, he’s had a two day holiday, and he’s back raring to go.”

In the brutal world of British politics, two days off may be all the rest anyone gets.

Image credit: Official portrait of Richard Tice MP (crop) by Laurie Noble, taken 10 July 2024 (from UK Parliament), licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)