Nigel Farage reacts to Zia Yusuf quitting as chairman of Reform UK in latest party turmoil

'Onwards and upwards!' Reform UK united after Zia Yusuf exit

Both Lee Anderson and James McMurdock have issued bullish messages this evening after Zia Yusuf's departure as party chairman, following the rest of the party's MPs in speaking out positively.

Anderson said: "Onwards and upwards. We will keep fighting until we take our country back. Nothing will stop us."

While McMurdock said: "Thank you, Zia, for your hard work and dedication. You are a gifted individual who frequently impressed.

"Wishing you every success in the future. As for Reform and our mission? Onwards and upwards."

Rupert Lowe hits back at Nigel Farage's 'razor blades' jab - 'He must NEVER be Prime Minister!'

Rupert Lowe has hit back at Nigel Farage after the Reform UK leader told GB News he would "rather eat razor blades" than allow him back into the fold.

Lowe blasted: "Farage says he would 'rather eat razor blades' than allow me back into Reform.

"Having sat with him as an MP for eight months, I've already got plenty of them in my back.

"Farage and his ego are together incapable of building a team. He must never be Prime Minister."

Nigel Farage slams door on Rupert Lowe comeback after Zia Yusuf’s shock exit: 'I'd rather eat razor blades!'

Zia Yusuf quitting Reform UK does not open the door to Rupert Lowe’s return, Nigel Farage has told GB News.

Speaking to Martin Daubney on the People’s Channel, Farage said he would “rather eat razor blades” than let the now-independent MP back into the fold...

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Sarah Pochin hails 'great friend and colleague' Zia Yusuf

Sarah Pochin has hailed her "great friend and colleague" Zia Yusuf following his resignation on Thursday.

"Zia has been a great friend and colleague during my short time as the MP for Runcorn & Helsby," she said.

"He entered politics for all the right reasons, and his dedication, commitment, and the professionalisation he brought to Reform UK will have a lasting legacy."

Her glowing message comes despite Yusuf branding her "dumb" over her call for Sir Keir Starmer to ban the burka at PMQs - but it is understood the spat did not play a part in his departure.

Kemi Badenoch breaks silence on Zia Yusuf departure

Kemi Badenoch has broken her silence on Zia Yusuf's departure in a 10-word statement on Thursday evening.

"Reform is not a political party. It is a fan club," the Tory leader spat.

Nigel Farage reveals he was given just 10 MINUTES' notice before Zia Yusuf's exit

Nigel Farage has just revealed he was only given 10 minutes' notice of Zia Yusuf's exit from the party today, speaking to Martin Daubney on GBN Tonight.

You can watch GB News live HERE- and we'll bring you the top lines from Farage's interview on our live blog here.

'He's not serious!' Gleeful Labour joins Reform UK pile-on in crowing response

Labour has chosen its attack line against Reform UK following Zia Yusuf's departure.

A spokesman for Sir Keir Starmer's party said: "If Nigel Farage can't manage a handful of politicians, how on earth could he run a country? He has fallen out with everyone he has ever worked with. Reform are just not serious.

"The Reform chair has done a runner so that he doesn't have to front up Farage's £80billion in unfunded cuts, which would spark a Liz Truss-style economic meltdown.

"Nigel Farage's plans would put up every single mortgage in the country and hammer family finances, while forcing them to buy private healthcare. Working people simply can't afford the risk of Reform UK."

The party has also shared an image of Yusuf alongside Rupert Lowe, with the words "resigned" and "kicked out" next to the pair.

Former Reformers twist knife on Nigel Farage after Yusuf departure

Ex-Reform UK figures Ben Habib and Rupert Lowe have both been quick to issue scathing take-downs of Reform UK after Zia Yusuf's departure.

Lowe, still involved in a legal battle with his former party, said: "Zia Yusuf gone. The question is - how did a man with no political experience be given such vast power within Reform?"

He added: "Yusuf, supported by Farage and others, tried to put me in prison on false allegations. They deployed woke lawfare to silence a party colleague - followed by a collective decision to back the man who made the false police complaint.

"I stood up to them, and thankfully I am a free man. My legal action continues."

Lowe also shared an image of himself smiling in the sea in response to his former chairman.

Habib, replying to Yusuf's resignation message, jabbed: "For the first time ever I agree with you. Indeed, it was never a good use of your or anyone else's time."

Reform's Doge chief departs after FOUR DAYS in post

Nathaniel Fried, the man appointed to lead Reform UK's "Doge" efficiency drive, has also left the party following Zia Yusuf's departure.

Fried, a tech and "open-source intelligence" entrepreneur, had been unveiled in his role on Monday.

And he said on Thursday: "I have a huge amount of respect for the work that the councils are doing to save tax payer money, and reduce wastage.

"Zia Yusuf got me in and I believe it is appropriate for me to leave with him. I have absolute confidence that the Reform Doge will succeed without me."

Zia Yusuf mockingly hailed for 'leading UK Doge by example' 

Zia Yusuf has been mockingly hailed for "leading UK Doge by example" following his shock resignation as party chairman.

Responding to Zia Yusuf resigning as Reform UK chairman, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said: "By sacking himself, Zia Yusuf seems to be leading the 'UK Doge' by example.

"You have to admire his commitment to the cause. It’s already clear Reform UK cannot deliver for the communities they are elected to stand up for.

"Instead, they have copied the Conservative playbook of fighting like rats in a sack."

Tories lay into Reform UK over Zia Yusuf resignation 

Several Tories have laid into Reform UK following Zia Yusuf's decision to resign as the party's chairman.

Reacting to Yusuf's decision, a Tory source told GB News: "Nigel Farage tells us he wants to run the country, he can't even run a party small enough to fit in a Nissan Micra.

"Will the last person in Reform UK who isn't Farage please turn out the lights?"

A Conservative Party spokesman said: "First Rupert Lowe, now Zia Yusuf.

"How long until you realise you might be the problem, Nigel Farage? Who's next?"

BREAKING: Zia Yusuf QUITS as Chairman of Reform UK

Zia Yusuf has resigned as Chairman of Reform UK, claiming it's "not a good use of his time" to work on getting Nigel Farage's party elected to Government.

In a pointed message on X, Yusuf wrote: "11 months ago, I became Chairman of Reform.

"I’ve worked full time as a volunteer to take the party from 14 to 30 per cent, quadrupled its membership and delivered historic electoral results.

"I no longer believe working to get a Reform Government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office."

His resignation follows claims he was being "sidelined" in Reform UK just hours after he appeared to call the party’s newest MP, Sarah Pochin, "dumb" for calling for a burka ban

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

GRAPHED: Who does the British public blame for Birmingham's bin strikes?

Birmingham bin workers vote to continue strike until CHRISTMAS in row over pay - read Unite's full statement here

Birmingham bin workers have voted to continue a months-long strike, meaning industrial action could continue until December.

The Unite union's general secretary Sharon Graham, following the vote, has released a scathing statement which swipes at both Birmingham's Labour-run council and Sir Keir Starmer's Government.

It reads: "After smearing these workers in public since January and telling them to accept a fair and reasonable offer that never existed, the council finally put a proposal in writing last week.

"True to form, the proposal came weeks late and was not in line with the ballpark offer discussed during Acas [Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service] talks in May.

"It had been watered down by the Government commissioners and the leader of the council despite them never having been in the negotiations.

"It beggars belief that a Labour Government and Labour council is treating these workers so disgracefully. It is hardly surprising that so many working people are asking whose side Labour is on.

"The decision-makers at Birmingham council need to get in the room and put forward an acceptable offer.

"Unite will not allow these workers to be financially ruined - the strikes will continue for as long as it takes. Unite calls on the decision-makers to let common sense prevail in upcoming negotiations."

READ THE FULL STORY ON THE STRIKE ACTION HERE

As Labour faces hammer blow 15-point failure polling... New survey warns Tories on the brink of ABYSS

This afternoon's top story covers new polling which suggests Labour is failing on 15 key issues.

But it's the Conservatives which have also been forced to endure damning new data.

The Tories sit just one percentage point clear of the Liberal Democrats in a new voting intention poll by Find Out Now - with Sir Ed Davey's party picking up 2 points since that pollster's last survey.

The survey, which polled 1,962 UK adults on June 4, added to weeks of poor polling for the Conservatives.

And if the Find Out Now trends continue - as pictured above - Kemi Badenoch's party could soon sit in fourth place.

​Reform UK chairman brands own MP's PMQs burka question 'dumb'

Reform UK's chairman Zia Yusuf has labelled a question about banning the burka at yesterday's PMQs by one of his own MPs as "dumb."

Sarah Pochin, the newly-elected MP for Runcorn and Helsby asked Sir Keir Starmer whether he would be joining countries including France, Denmark and Belgium in banning the face and body covering worn by some Muslim women.

The Prime Minister responded, saying: "Can I welcome her to her place, but I’m not going to follow her down that line."

Now, Yusuf has addressed it saying it was "nothing to do with me", adding that it was "dumb for a party to ask the Prime Minister if they would do something the party itself wouldn’t do."

GB News has approached Reform UK for a comment.

Keir Starmer says ​aid needs to reach the people of Gaza 'at speed and at volume'

Sir Keir Starmer has repeated his stance that the situation in Gaza is "utterly intolerable" as he called for aid to enter the heavily bombarded enclave "at speed and at volume."

The Labour leader was speaking as his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, got permission to bring in a bill to set up an "independent public inquiry" into the UK’s co-operation with Israel since October 2023.

Starmer called on Israel to lift all restrictions on the delivery of aid to the 2.1 million Palestinians in the territory.

He told reporters: "In relation to what’s happening in Gaza, we’ve been absolutely clear that it is intolerable and we need to get back to a ceasefire urgently and that is our constant work with other allies to get us to that position.

"We need those hostages to come out, many of them have been held for a very long time."

Mel Stride grilled by GB News over Tory economic record

GB News political correspondent Katherine Forster asked Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride to "apologise for the past 14 years" of the Conservative Party’s economic record during a question following his speech on the economy.

In a heated grilling, Forster said: "You've apologised for what happened under Liz Truss, but you've also admitted that, to use your words, the economy has been languishing in the slow lane since the financial crisis.

"Now the Conservatives were in office for 14 of those 17 years, so shouldn't you actually be apologising for your economic record across that whole period?"

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Mel Stride says Kemi Badenoch is 'the person to lead us' in defence of Tory leader

Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride insisted Kemi Badenoch is "the person to lead us" as he answered questions following a speech on Thursday.

He said: "She will get better through time at the media, she will get better through time at the dispatch box at PMQs.

"Just as Margaret Thatcher when she became leader in 75 was often criticised for everything from her hair to the clothes she wore to the pitch of her voice to heaven knows what else, in the end she got it together and Kemi will do absolutely that."

WATCH: Andy Burnham tells GB News he is 'confident' Labour will deliver on promise to fix Britain's broken transport network

'I don't think it's right!' Mel Stride opposes lifting the two-child benefit cap amid Farage's vow to lift the policy

Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Mel Stride has reinforced the Conservative Party's position on lifting the two-child cap.

He said: "I think that in a fair society we should accept that individuals who are not receiving benefits and have to take the hard choices about whether they have a medium-sized family, or whether they have a very large family, they often have to really have a long, hard look at whether they can afford to do that.

"I don’t think it’s right, where people are on benefits, that they should naturally not worry about those considerations that other people, who are taxpayers, are having to."

The comments follow Reform UK's leader, Nigel Farage, calling for the policy, introduced by the Conservatives in 2017, to be lifted.

Labour slams Reform UK as 'just not credible' over burka row

A spokesman from Labour has told GB News that Nigel Farage can't stop his own MPs "fighting among themselves" in a scathing attack on the party.

A spokesman from Sir Keir Starmer's party said: "Nigel Farage could fit all of his MPs in the back of a cab, yet he can’t stop them fighting among themselves.

"Reform only guarantees more Liz Truss-style chaos. Their £80 billion of unfunded commitments would lead to economic meltdown and put up everyone’s mortgage and bills. They’re just not credible."

WATCH: Mel Stride grilled by Ben Leo on 'ironic' pledge to 'radically rewire' the economy

Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride has been grilled on his "ironic" pledge to "rewire" Britain's economy, as GB News host Ben Leo claimed the minister missed a "golden opportunity".

Ahead of a speech today on the Conservative economic plan, Stride told GB News that "productivity and growth have been too slow".

In his address today, Stride acknowledged Liz Truss's catastrophic premiership and vow to "never again" make spending pledges the Government cannot afford.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Rachel Reeves's plans suffer huge blow amid waning influence as Keir Starmer sides with Ed Miliband

Rachel Reeves has been dealt a huge blow after a planned raid over a key net zero policy was defeated.

The £13.2billion Warm Homes Plan had been in the cutting line by the Treasury.

However, Energy Security Secretary Ed Miliband and the Chancellor have reached an agreement in the past few days after tense negotiations, reports The Telegraph.

The news will be considered a victory for Miliband and the left wing of the party who have warned against scaling back green plans.

Liz Truss issues scathing response to Mel Stride - 'A creature of the system'

Liz Truss has hit back at Sir Mel Stride's comments the Tories would "never again" repeat the mistake of the former Prime Minister.

Stride told GB News this morning the party would "never again make promises we cannot afford."

In response, Truss wrote on social media: "In attacking the Mini Budget, [Mel Stride] sides with the failed Treasury Orthodoxy. Stride is a creature of the system.

"When he served alongside me as Treasury minister, he always went along with officials – including on the Loan Charge and IR35, damaging the self-employed and SMEs.

"He backed Sunak’s huge spending, but not my tax cuts which were smaller in size and would have increased growth.

"Britain’s system of government is broken. Nothing will change with people like him in charge."

Nigel Farage faces political litmus test TODAY as Reform prepares for 'pivotal' moment

Scottish voters are heading to the polls today for a hotly-contested by-election where Reform could be set for a major gain.

A seat in the Scottish Parliament representing Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse is up for grabs following the death of SNP veteran Christina McKelvie after her battle with breast cancer.

Pollsters are predicting a tight three-way race between the SNP, Labour and Reform UK.

READ THE FULL ANALYSIS HERE.

Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse by-election candidates:

• Scottish Socialist - Collette Bradley
• Scottish Family - Andy Brady
• Reform UK - Ross Lambie
• SNP - Katy Loudon
• Ukip - Janice Elizabeth Mackay
• Scottish Greens - Ann McGuiness
• Liberal Democrats - Aisha Jawaid Mir
• Conservative - Richard Nelson
• Labour - Davy Russell
• Independent - Marc Wilkinson

Bridget Phillipson tells GB News it is up to women to decide what to wear over burka row

Bridget Phillipson has told GB News that it is up to women to decide what they want to wear over a question by Reform MP over the burka.

It comes after Sarah Pochin, MP for Runcorn and Helsby asked Sir Keir Starmer whether he would be joining countries including France, Denmark and Belgium in banning the face and body covering worn by some Muslim women.

The Education Secretary told GB News: "My position on what women wear is it is matter for them to decide.

"I wouldn't want much people to tell me what to wear and I think in a free society women can make their own choices as to what they want to wear. "

Angela Rayner's flagship planning bill gives developers 'licence to bulldoze nature'

Labour's Planning and Infrastructure Bill will give developers a "licence to bulldoze nature", according to Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay.

The MP for Waveney Valley said: "We can and we must tackle both the housing crisis and the nature crisis but as it stands, the legislation fails on both counts.

"It clearly weakens nature protection while doing precisely nothing to ensure that new housing is genuinely affordable.

"The government has refused to specify social housing targets, and has given developers a license to bulldoze nature.

“The government needs to be tougher, requiring developers to build a higher proportion of genuinely affordable homes to rent and to buy.

"We need the right homes, in the right place, at the right price. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill must ensure this."

Winter Fuel Payment U-turn slammed 'chaotic' as it could tax dead pensioners' families

The Treasury is exploring a system that could see bereaved families pursued for Winter Fuel Payments made to pensioners who die before the money can be recouped through tax, according to reports.

Under the proposed approach, the Government would restore Winter Fuel Payments as a universal benefit but then claw back up to £300 from wealthier pensioners through their tax returns.

However, Government insiders have raised concerns about the implications of the time lag between payment and recovery.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Mel Stride says Tories will 'never again' risk the economy 

Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride is set to launch a scathing attack on former Tory Prime Minister Liz Truss, saying the party will "never again" put a risk to the economy.

The MP for Central Devon will tell an event in London: " Back then mistakes were recognised and stability restored within weeks, with the full backing of our party.

"But the damage to our credibility is not so easily undone. That will take time. And it also requires contrition. So let me be clear: never again will the Conservative party undermine fiscal credibility by making promises we cannot afford."

Free school meals to be extended to over 50,000 people

Labour is set to announce that any child in England whose parents receive Universal Credit will be able to claim free school meals from September 2026.

Around £1 billion has been set aside to fund the change up to 2029, with Labour saying the proposals will make 500,000 more pupils eligible.

Ministers said the changes to free school meals would save parents £500 a year and "lift 100,000 children out of poverty."

Currently, their household must earn less than £7,400 a year to qualify.

Under the new plans, parents on the credit will be eligible regardless of their income.

Mel Stride says Winter Fuel Payment policy was 'huge mistake' by Labour

Shadow chancellor Mel Stride has slammed Labour over their Winter Fuel Payment policy saying it was a "huge mistake."

He told GB News this morning that "pensioners under the poverty line" suffered under the policy.

Stride said that "A lot of their U-turns are because of the pressure we have been putting on the government."

Nigel Farage says face coverings ‘don’t make sense’ as he wades in on burka row

Sarah Pochin’s call for the burka to be banned is an important one and deserves to be debated, Nigel Farage has said on GB News.

The Reform UK leader spoke in response to his MP’s first ever Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) probe where she told Keir Starmer to follow some of her European counterparts by banning the face covering.

Nigel recalled a personal instance from just days ago that he feels gives Pochin’s point of view some credence.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.