Reform UK has suspended prominent party member Tim Montgomerie amid his repeated attacks on Zia Yusuf.
Montgomerie has been openly critical towards Reform’s home affairs spokesperson in recent months and doubled down on his remarks while recording the Spectator’s Coffee House Shots podcast recently.
He told the show that Yusuf has “consistently freelanced on Twitter” over major Reform policies, suggested “Nigel [Farage] has fallen out of love with Zia” and called for Yusuf to be more of a “team player”.
The Spectator’s deputy political editor James Heale then confirmed on Tuesday that Montgomerie had been suspended as a party member after the podcast was recorded but before it was posted online.
HuffPost UK understands Montgomerie was suspended in line with party rules and notified of his suspension before the episode was broadcast.
A senior Reform source said: “The General Secretary and Chairman have had months of complaints regarding Tim’s behaviour and conduct.
“They saw fit to take action and protect the party.
“Reform will never engage the Tory briefing wars and toxicity that goes with them – the correct course of action has been taken. Disagreements should happen behind closed doors, not in the eye of the national media.”
A party source pointed out that Montgomerie has been a public critic of Reform on “many” occasions.
They insisted the suspension is not related to the criticism of Yusuf, but to wider “leaking and briefing” of the press.
Reform is also understood is have offered Montgomerie support at this time.
The now-suspended party member lifted the lid on divisions within the party when speaking to the Spectator in the podcast.
He said Yusuf “did not talk to me” for three months after he discovered Montgomerie had helped ex-Tory frontbencher Robert Jenrick defect to Reform.
“A lot of people are on not-speaking terms with Zia and it’s nearly always Zia who initiates it,” he said. “It needs to end. You cannot behave like a child in politics.”
He also claimed Yusuf is not interested in Reform-curious voters and said his actions “make sense” in the context of his ambitions to succeed Farage as party leader.
Montgomerie and party leader Nigel Farage both criticised Yusuf last week after he accused former Tory defence secretary Ben Wallace of being a “traitor” to the country.
Montgomerie told the Spectator: “It was unprecedented for Farage to criticise him last week, but did he take down the tweet that Nigel criticised? No. He wouldn’t. He’s loyal to Nigel as he has to be if he wants to succeed him, but in terms of being able to really play as a team player…
“He has consistently freelanced on Twitter [X], on for example, accepting Conservative candidates, Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick, even though he knew they were being wooed. But it was his way of trying to undermine that policy.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Montgomerie confirmed he had been kicked out of the party but revealed that he would be appealing the decision.
In a video post, he said: “I take some comfort that Nigel Farage did not know about my suspension.
“He more than anyone knows all the stuff I’ve done behind the scenes to help Reform.”
Montgomerie added: “Ultimately, it’s those Reform members who deserve better than the skirmishes of this kind.”
He added he “has no regrets over what I’ve said or done” and said he will be “making the case that my contribution, my constructive criticism, is not only what I said would characterise my membership, but is a healthy part of any political party”.
A Labour source said: “Tim Montgomerie dared to say what we’re all thinking – Nigel Farage should have declared his secret £5 million gift. If Farage had nothing to hide, why is he being so defensive? What a snowflake.”