Dr David Bull, the newly appointed chairman of Reform UK, has voiced support for the reinstatement of capital punishment in Britain, a day after party leader Nigel Farage distanced himself from such a proposal.
Bull, a former medical doctor and television presenter, made the remarks while discussing the case of Axel Rudakabana, the man who fatally stabbed three girls during a children’s dance class in Southport.
“For those people, I think there is a very strong case that I would support the death penalty,” Dr Bull said, shortly after being named the party’s new chairman, succeeding Zia Yusuf.
His comments mark a striking contrast with Farage’s stance on the issue. The Reform UK leader had earlier stated that he would not back the return of capital punishment due to the risk of miscarriages of justice.
“Personally, given there have been 500 quite serious miscarriages of justice in this country since the 1970s, I don’t think I could ever support it. But I understand why others take a different view.”
Nigel Farage
Farage likened the death penalty to debates over assisted dying, calling it an “issue of conscience.” He added that the topic could return to the national agenda in the coming years, noting, “I think it is quite interesting that the younger generation seem to increasingly support the death penalty… it will be back in the next decade as an issue of major national debate.” The death penalty was abolished in full in the United Kingdom in 1998.
Burqa Comments Stir Internal Party Debate
Bull’s remarks on capital punishment were followed by controversial comments about religious dress, as he waded into the party’s internal dispute over the burqa. “I don’t like seeing people in burqas,” he said.
“I feel particularly in East London, where I live, it certainly has divided the community. We’ve got a whole swath of people not even speaking English, which I just think is not acceptable.”
Dr David Bull
Concerning the burqa row that has dogged Reform in recent days, Farage said his concerns extended beyond one type of religious dress. “Do I think in cultural terms the burqa fits in with the British way of life? Not really, no,” he said.
Dr Bull was formally introduced at a Westminster press conference, where Farage praised his “terrific verve, energy, and enthusiasm” and emphasized that Bull’s role would be to “give leadership to that volunteer army out there of people.” According to Farage, the new chairman would not be involved in the party’s technical or administrative functions but would focus on “message delivery and simplicity of message in politics.”
Bull, known for presenting shows like Watchdog, Tomorrow’s World, and Most Haunted Live!, steps in after Zia Yusuf’s abrupt resignation last week. Yusuf had left following internal tension over Reform’s stance on banning the burqa, only to return two days later, admitting he had made an “error.”
Despite the brief leadership vacuum, Yusuf expressed enthusiasm for Bull’s appointment. “This party is no longer a start-up,” he said.
“It’s gone to a scale-up phase … the reality is what we need now in a chairman is someone who is an incredible communicator, someone who’s loved universally across the party … someone who’s going to I think do a better job than me at energising volunteers on the front line.”
Zia Yusuf
Yusuf said he was “hugely excited” about Bull’s leadership and offered full support: “I wholeheartedly congratulate him and I know he’s going to do an incredible job for us.”
Farage echoed that sentiment, saying the new chairman’s media experience would strengthen Reform’s public messaging. Yusuf’s earlier departure followed his criticism of party MP Sarah Pochin, who had questioned the prime minister about banning the burqa — a comment Yusuf dismissed as “dumb.”
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