Nigel Farage has been urged to address internal divisions within his Reform party, as a recent dispute over the suspension of a senior member has intensified, leading one insider to brand the party a "circus." The conflict emerged following the suspension of Tim Montgomerie, a political commentator and former adviser to Boris Johnson. Montgomerie was suspended after criticizing Zia Yusuf, Reform's home affairs spokesman, for his "intemperate" use of social media.
Montgomerie stated during a podcast that "a lot of people are on not-speaking terms with Zia, and it's nearly always Zia who initiates it. It needs to end." He was subsequently suspended by Reform, a move some within the party described as "growing pains," while others sided with Montgomerie and warned that Yusuf was alienating members.
One party insider told the Daily Mail that MPs dislike Yusuf, adding, "Unfortunately the ringmaster is on holiday, so the circus seems to be run by the chief clown, Zia Yusuf." Another source indicated a split within the party, with one faction supporting Yusuf and another backing Montgomerie, leaving Farage in a difficult position. "A party that knows where it's going – momentum and direction-wise – wouldn't engage in this sort of thing," the source commented.
Yusuf has been a controversial figure within Reform since becoming its largest donor before the 2024 general election. He recently drew criticism for calling former defence secretary Ben Wallace a "traitor to Britain" and for accusing other parties of using inflammatory language that endangered Reform politicians. Yusuf had previously resigned as Reform chairman in June 2025 following a dispute over a call to ban burkas, but was persuaded by Farage to return and oversee party policy.
Sources within Reform suggest the dispute between Yusuf and Montgomerie reflects a broader debate about the party's strategy for the next election. While Yusuf is popular with the party's hardline base, some members are concerned that his approach may alienate moderate voters in "Middle England," a demographic Farage needs to court to achieve electoral success.
"Mr Yusuf was pandering to the base, and that's not going to win us the next election. Nigel's going to have to choose between Zia and Tim," one insider stated. Another added that the party could be "incredibly competitive" by focusing on Middle England rather than solely on its core vote, if it maintains discipline and coherence.
An ally of Yusuf defended his actions, asserting that Reform is an "anti-establishment party" and that Yusuf's public criticisms are indicative of this stance. "You can't read too much into Zia. If he gets angry on Twitter, he gets angry on Twitter. He doesn't do cryptic – if he doesn't like you he'll tell you. Tim is just nothing," the ally said.
Montgomerie is reportedly scheduled to meet with party chairman Lee Anderson next week to discuss his appeal against his suspension. Farage was on holiday during the recent developments and has yet to publicly comment on the internal conflict.