Reform UK's Zia Yusuf - who briefly quit the party last month - says he wants to be Chancellor if Nigel Farage is PM
The multi-millionaire businessman is eyeing up a move to 11 Downing Street should Reform leader Nigel Farage become prime minister.
Mr Yusuf is currently leading Reform's efforts to cut public spending across councils, following the party's local elections success in May.
His work is based on the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) set up by Tesla boss Elon Musk in the US.
But, in an interview with Politico, Mr Yusuf has revealed his grander ambitions to take charge of the Treasury should Reform win power in 2029.
'I think Chancellor is obviously a very interesting and important position,' he told the website.
'But, you know, ultimately, these are all decisions Nigel will make, and I think he is a long way from making them.
'The talent density available to this party continues to grow very significantly.'
Mr Yusuf is not among Reform's five MPs in the House of Commons.
But he remains one of the party's key figures despite his dramatic resignation as chairman in June.
The 38-year-old quit the role - and briefly the party - following a row over banning the burqa.
He described a question to the Prime Minister concerning a ban on burkas - which are worn by some Muslim women - from his party's newest MP as 'dumb'.
But Mr Yusuf, who is Muslim himself, later backtracked on leaving the party and said his decision to stand down had been the result of 'exhaustion'.
He claimed to have been working for 11 months as Reform chairman 'without a day off'.
David Bull has since succeeded Mr Yusuf as party chairman.
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