Tim Montgomerie made a bombshell claim about Nigel Farage (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage may not lead Reform UK into the next General Election, a former supporter declared as he quit the party. Tim Montgomerie threw in the towel after a public spat with Reform’s home affairs chief Zia Yusuf. And he accused Mr Yusuf of plotting against Mr Farage, claiming he “freelances too much on policy.”
Mr Montgomerie was suspended after unleashing a scathing attack on Reform’s home affairs spokesman during a podcast interview last month. It follows criticism the previous week in which he condemned Mr Yusuf for calling a former Defence Secretary Sir Ben Wallace, who served in the Army, “a traitor to Britain”.
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Speaking to GB News, Mr Montgomerie said: “I think if I had gone back, I wouldn’t have really changed my modus operandi, and I could have been thrown out.
“So, I think it’s best for both of us that I stay friendly, hopefully despite this interview, but no longer be a party member.”
He also hinted that Mr Farage may not lead Reform UK into the next General Election.
“I think a lot of things are happening behind the scenes,” Mr Montgomerie told GB News.
The former Tory suggested the Clacton MP should adopt a different strategy amid a slump in the opinion polls.
He said: “I want Nigel to go back to the vision I thought he had two years ago.
“But what seems to be happening, particularly around Yusuf and other people, is the party is reverting to its comfort zone.
“Nigel needs to say, ‘Enough is enough. I’m in charge, and that’s the way it’s going to be’.”
The 56-year-old, who ruled out rejoining the Tories and opened the door to eventually returning to Reform UK, doubled down in his criticisms of Mr Yusuf.
Tim Montgomerie has clashed with Zia Yusuf (Image: BBC)
He said: “Zia is an embodiment of it, but there are plenty of other people in Reform who also, I think, want Reform to be more like some of the continental right-wing populist parties.”
“As a member of Nigel’s Shadow Cabinet, he should be controlled more by Nigel.
“I think he freelances too much on policy, he’s undermined party policies. I don’t know how he gets away with it.”
He added: “And I just do not know why Zia carries on like this, unless his primary aim is to be party leader and curry favour with the Reform vote rather than help Nigel Farage become Prime Minister.
“I don’t understand his actions if his primary motivation is to win the next election.”
Reform’s Zia Yusuf said in a short statement: “Clearly Tim disagrees with me on many things. Nevertheless, I wish him only the very best.”
A Reform UK spokesman added: “We wish Tim the best for the future and thank him for his support.”
The Express understands that Mr Montgomerie was suspended before his Spectator interview was broadcast last month.
It follows persistent public criticism of the party over many months.
Mr Montgomerie is the founder and former editor of the ConservativeHome website who briefly served as an adviser to Boris Johnson when he was prime minister.
He quit the Tories in December 2024 and joined Reform.
Speaking about Mr Yusuf, Mr Montgomerie told the Coffee House podcast: “There are a lot of people who are on not-speaking terms with Zia and it’s nearly always Zia who initiates it.
“It needs to end. You cannot behave like a child in politics. You cannot have litmus tests, so many litmus tests where you stop talking to people.”