Nigel Farage is under growing pressure to dismiss his close ally, Zia Yusuf, after the Reform UK figure was linked to a disturbing antisemitic post on X. The controversy erupted when an anonymous user published a video that allegedly shows Yusuf liking a tweet that attacked Conservative MP Robert Jenrick and his wife.
The post in question read: “Reminder that Jenrick is a traitorous Zogbot with a Jewish wife and family. I’m sure it’s unrelated that he imported infinite brown savages to rape our women and children.” The term “Zogbot” is a slur used against Zionists, often invoked in far-right rhetoric.
The backlash was swift, with political opponents and commentators labelling the content “absolutely horrifying antisemitism.” The revelation has intensified scrutiny of Yusuf’s role within Reform UK, especially given his visibility as the head of the party’s newly established Doge unit—a cost-cutting task force inspired by a model Elon Musk previously promoted for President Donald Trump.
To defuse the crisis, Yusuf issued an apology and distanced himself from the incident.
“One of the team who post to my X account accidentally pressed like on an awful antisemitic tweet earlier today. I apologise for this.”
Zia Yusuf
He added that the tweet also contained racist language targeting people like him: “The post also refers to ‘brown savages’, and is equally racist against me. Clearly, it was not intentional.”
Farage Ally’s Apology Draws Doubt
Yusuf also condemned the rising levels of hateful speech on the platform: “The amount of antisemitism and racism on this platform is spiralling out of control, and I hope that changes soon.”
However, Jenrick, the Shadow Justice Minister, cast doubt on the apology, saying he found it difficult to believe Yusuf’s version of events.
“You’ve spent the last 48 hours calling me a ‘traitor’ for not drawing attention to a leaked spreadsheet with our special forces and MI6 officers’ names on.”
Robert Jenrick
Jenrick said in a follow-up post. “But we’re meant to believe this tweet attacking me as a traitor for having a Jewish wife and family was liked ‘accidentally’ by ‘one of the team.’ You must think we’re all thick.”
“The mask has slipped. Likes are private. You thought nobody would ever know. Unfortunately for you, the racist account who posted the tweet and could see the likes exposed you. Reform should give you the boot.”
Robert Jenrick
The scandal is just the latest in a string of controversies involving Yusuf, a former Reform UK chairman who has played a major role in the party’s evolution. He had previously clashed with Reform MP Sarah Pochin after she made remarks in Parliament advocating for a burqa ban. That disagreement led to Yusuf’s temporary resignation, though he returned a day later in a reduced role.
Supporters of former Reform figure Rupert Lowe also blamed Yusuf for the internal shakeup that saw Lowe ousted, though Yusuf enjoyed the firm backing of Farage during that period.
Despite his diminished formal role, Yusuf remains influential within the party. His leadership of the Doge unit was designed to bolster Reform’s efforts in local governance following electoral gains earlier this year. However, this latest controversy threatens to undo that momentum and has put Farage in a difficult position.
As the public and political pressure mounts, all eyes are now on how Reform UK will respond, and whether Farage will distance himself from his embattled aide.
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