'Beyond the pale!' Zia Yusuf rips into teachers' union after educators 'equate Reform to Nazis'

Deputy leader Richard Tice complained over the matter after he found out staff at the Orion group - which oversees eight academy schools in south London - were using images of him to exemplify "extremist" ideology.

But Zia Yusuf joined GB News to discuss new statistics which reveal 82 per cent of teachers in the National Education Union (NEU) support left-wing parties.

Warning the lean towards the left could risk indoctrination, the party's head of policy told GB News: "What we need to do is make crystal clear that indoctrination in this manner cannot happen.

"And then you can argue, how would you define that? Well, I think having a sign that says 'far right' and having Nigel lean in alongside Adolf Hitler, I think most reasonable people would agree that is indoctrination."

Mr Yusuf further demanded consequences for such action, acknowledging a "mechanism" for children to report incidents.

He added: "It's not like we're expecting teachers to have no political views. We're talking about indoctrination.

The president of the NEU, Daniel Kebede, has made his damning criticism of Reform UK clear, throwing accusations of racism at what he describes as a "far-right" party.

The chief of the union is seeking to assist Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green candidates in key seats specifically aimed at blocking Reform gains.

Asked if Reform will challenge the unions over such activity, Mr Yusuf said: "To the degree that we have to go to war with anyone who won't be our choice.

"We are fully prepared for all non-democratic elements of institutions in this country and state apparatus to be hostile against us.

"We have to be prepared for it. I don't think there's any doubt. The reason why Nigel said that is that it's not us going out there and attacking the teachers en masse in that way.

"They are actively campaigning against us.

"They are the ones who are calling us far-right, basically equating us to Nazis, which again, is so beyond the pale, so beyond what you would expect.

"Actually, it's deeply harmful to children because what that does is, of course, trivialise what Hitler did, trivialise actual Nazism for this sort of absurd, almost childlike political game that they want to play."

Last month, the chairman of the Conservative Party stirred up controversy after making a similar comparison, tying the parties together.

Kevin Hollinrake made the controversial comparison, likening Nigel Farage's party badge on its new merchandise to that of Adolf Hitler's, stirring up ample retaliation.

But leader Kemi Badenoch dubbed Reform "crybabies" over the matter, simply insisting it was a "funny" comment made against Mr Farage's party.

"Kevin Hollinrake is a fantastic chairman, I 100 per cent back him. I thought it was funny," Mrs Badenoch told the People's Channel.

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