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The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
There's much more to Zia Yusuf's dramatic resignation from Reform than a row over the burqa
Zia Yusuf 's departure had more to do with his failure to persuade donors to part with cash than a row over Reform's attitude to the burqa, insiders have told The Independent. But more than that, it was the now- former chairman 's inability to work with people and get on with them that was at the heart of his sudden announcement on Thursday, it has been claimed. It came after he described Reform's new MP Sarah Pochin as 'dumb' after she asked a question about banning the burqa during Prime Minister's Questions. But in reality, there were many more problems building. The Independent has contacted Mr Yusuf for his version of events and has not received a response. But his critics have not waited long to get their joy over his departure out and give their account of why he was ousted. 'The trouble is that while Zia was a very hard worker, he was a bit of a kn**,' said one associate of Nigel Farage. 'He just could not get on with people or work with people. But the much bigger problem was that donors did not want to hand over their money to the party after they spoke to him.' Mr Yusuf had, along with former Tory donor Nick Candy, been responsible for pitching to wealthy potential backers to fund Reform's push for power. 'There's a lot of money there to be released, but Zia wasn't getting it.' Even with the party's charge in the polls and a growing lead over Labour, with the Tories collapsing for various reasons, many donors were still sitting on their hands and not won over by the Yusuf/Candy charm offensive. Although in Mr Yusuf's case it was 'more of a lack of charm and pretty offensive', an insider claimed. For Mr Farage to fulfil his dream of getting to 10 Downing Street by 2029, reform needs cash to fund its push for power. But even the Tories - in complete crisis under Kemi Badenoch's leadership and with dwindling support - have been beating Reform with donations. But it was not just the failure to win the hearts and minds of millionaires and billionaires that was troubling senior figures in Reform. Several party figures have claimed that the 'writing was on the wall for Zia since March' when the fallout with Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe almost derailed their local election campaign. Mr Lowe blames Farage equally for what happened and has confirmed that he will not be seeking to rejoin Reform, after he was ousted over claims he harassed two women and Mr Yusuf reported him to the police for allegedly threatening him with violence. Police later dropped the case, and no charges were brought against Mr Lowe. This had already been a problem with him previously throwing members out en masse in various new branches for minor infractions of party (or his) rules or not taking instructions from the centre. Supporters of Mr Yusuf, who included Nigel Farage until this week, at least publicly, pointed out he was there to professionalise the party and to ensure that the problem of rogue candidates with appalling views that had dogged Ukip and the Brexit Party did not continue to be a problem for Reform. It is also true that he had been subject to an incredible amount of abuse from former and current supporters of Reform, much of it Islamophobic. The final meltdown over Ms Pochin's question to Sir Keir Starmer on banning the burqa is thought to have been the last straw for Mr Yusuf, dealing with what is increasingly becoming an anti-Muslim party in its membership, if not leadership. Mr Lowe was not the only previously loyal foot soldier ousted. Some, such as ex-deputy leader Ben Habib and former London mayoral candidate Howard Cox, are highly unlikely to come back. Others. including former director of communications, Gawain Towler, will be welcomed back. Mr Towler, an effective communicator and long-term part of the Farage cause, was sacked by Mr Yusuf when the Reform leader was out of the country. He was also banned from Reform HQ despite being a loyal party member. Apparently, that ban has now been lifted and Mr Towler is expected to return, possibly on the board representing members. Perhaps the biggest issue for those now feeling they can vent their anger about him was Mr Yusuf's inability to build loyalty with party staff and volunteers. One insider noted: 'Perhaps now we can have a culture where we can learn from our mistakes.' Another joked: 'Champagne corks were popping in misery at the announcement.' Mr Yusuf had some powerful opponents within the party lined up against him as well, even with Farage's continued public support. This included Raheem Kassam, a former Farage aide now a key figure in the MAGA movement in the US, who is very close to the Donald Trump camp. Mr Kassam told The Independent back in March that Mr Yusuf would be forced out. Yesterday, he said: 'I said months ago something like this would happen because in such a new party with many competing personalities and priorities, being chairman or even leader is an almost thankless and gargantuan task. Pressure getting the better of Zia Yusuf should make people even more appreciative of Nigel Farage's personal indefatigability.' Another long-term ally and fellow 'Brexit bad boy', the businessman Arron Banks, was not a fan either. Mr Banks, who came to prominence as founder of the pro-Brexit site was already moving in on the Reform DOGE project which Mr Yusuf had wanted for himself and is now one of the frontrunners to be the next chairman. He posted on X/ Twitter: 'Astonishing that everyone thinks they are responsible for the meteoric Reform rise, as the old saying goes, success has many fathers and failure an orphan. Zia worked very hard but struggled with relationships and people. The corks will be popping in party HQ this evening. Reform will power on.' The issue now is who should replace Mr Yusuf. One Farage ally said: 'It needs to be a diplomat, not somebody like Zia who wanted to be front and centre all the time. It needs to be someone who can talk to the members, persuade people to give money to the cause and work behind the scenes. You need a backroom man and you can't have two Caesars.' The feeling, though, is that it also needs to be someone with their own funds and good business connections. Another supporter said: 'Nigel needs someone who can give money but also raise money. That's going to be the most important job going forward if Reform is to succeed.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Reform in crisis as Nigel Farage's party descends into vicious infighting after chairman Zia Yusuf quits and it finishes THIRD in Scots by-election it was tipped to WIN
Nigel Farage 's Reform UK is facing its first major crisis since the general election today after its chairman walked out and it finished a dismal third in a by-election it was tipped to win. Former banker Zia Yusuf quit is senior role last night after appearing to call one of the party's MPs 'dumb' for backing a burqa ban in the House of Commons. And in a shock result in the early hour of this morning Labour's Davy Russell became the new MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. He won by 602 votes from the SNP in a contest that was supposed to be a two-horse race between the nationalists' Katy Loudon and Reform's Ross Lambie. Reform, who didn't stand in the constituency in 2021, took 26.1 per cent of the vote. The party descended into backstabbing and infighting after the shock decision by Mr Yusuf, which allies said came after Lee Anderson and Richard Tice backed Sarah Pochin over her burqa outburst. However, a source told the Mail that while he had 'worked 18-hour days for months ... he just doesn't get people like he gets an Excel spreadsheet.' The knives are now also out for Nick Candy, the billionaire property developer and husband of Holly Valance who is party treasurer. Sources told the FT that he has failed to bring in large amounts of cash and has not donated the £1million of his own that he has promised. Mr Yusuf last night said he no longer believed that working for Reform to win power at the next general election was 'a good use of my time'. He publicly questioned why Ms Pochin, Reform's recently-elected MP for Runcorn and Helsby, had challenged the Prime Minister about the issue on Wednesday. There were also reports that Mr Yusuf had recently been 'sidelined' within Reform, including claims that some of his responsibilities had been passed elsewhere. Mr Farage last night said he was 'genuinely sorry' at Mr Yusuf's exit, adding the financier was a 'huge factor' in Reform's success at May's local elections. 'Politics can be a highly pressured and difficult game and Zia has clearly had enough,' the Reform leader added. 'He is a loss to us and public life.' In a further dramatic development, Nathaniel Fried - who had only days ago been drafted in by Reform to lead the party's 'DOGE' cost-cutting unit in local councils - also quit tonight. The latest Reform chaos comes after Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe was kicked out of the party in March after he criticised Mr Farage's leadership. Tim Montgomerie, a political commentator and Reform member, described Mr Yusuf's exit as a 'massive, massive setback' for the party. 'He was absolutely essential to what Reform were doing in terms of modernisation,' Mr Montgomerie told Times Radio of Mr Yusuf's role as chairman. 'The success and the professionalisation of Reform has owed an awful lot to him. 'I don't fully know what's happened in the last 24 hours, but I know he was very upset about the burka question that was asked by the new Reform MP for Runcorn. 'I think he has experienced quite a lot of personal nastiness on social media…because of it.
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Reform UK is party of the 'have yachts' as 'borders don't matter' for offshore donations
Reform UK Party Treasurer brags of fundraising on offshore yachts after a Mirror investigation revealed that three-quarters of the party's cash is linked to tax havens Reform UK is fighting this week's council elections in part with funds given by super-rich donors who live offshore. It comes as Nick Candy, Reform 's Party Treasurer and property tycoon, bragged about fundraising from wealthy donors in tax havens. Mr Candy told the Financial Times: 'We'll do events in restaurants, people's private homes and on yachts... You have to be on the UK electoral register or the overseas electoral register or have a UK trading company. There are plenty of people in Monaco, Switzerland, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, who can meet both of those criteria to donate.' We revealed last year that Reform UK had raised more than £16m in five years from people or companies with links to tax havens. That is three quarters of the donations Reform UK and its predecessor has received since 2019. It includes the Evans family who gave £200,000 last year through Evans Management Limited. The firm is owned through a Jersey-based parent company and has been controlled since 2016 by property tycoon Michael Evans and wife Helga who, according to Companies House, are resident in tax haven Monaco – where they base their 213ft superyacht. Another donor listed as living in Monaco is Margaret Hepburn, owner of Hepburn Bio Care, which gave £50,000 last year. More recent supporters include Jason Blick, who attended Reform UK's glitzy fundraiser in January where tickets cost up to £25,000 a head. Mr Blick founded a free trade zone on Grand Cayman, a Caribbean tax haven. He previously told Companies House he was resident in the Cayman Islands but more recent records indicate he now lives in the UK. But he was photographed polishing his Ducati 848 motorbike outside a mansion on the offshore island. Financier Roger Nagioff gave £100,000 to the party in December. He has given his country of residence to Companies House as Monaco, an elite tax haven in the Mediterranean, and previously donated nearly £500,000 to the Conservatives between 2004 and 2020. Neither Mr Blick or Mr Nagioff responded to a request for comment. But a Reform UK Spokesman said: 'Before the last General Election, Labour received a 4 million pound donation from an overseas donor. Our party is funded by Reform members, and grassroots small donors. 226k members x £25 per year is £5.65 million." A Labour source said: "Reform is clearly the party of the yachts, not the have nots. They're not on the side of working people and it's plain for all to see.' Agustina Oliveri, Head of Campaigns at the Good Law Project, said: 'Reform UK are cruelly obsessed with putting up borders when it comes to refugees and asylum seekers desperately trying to find safety. But when it comes to donations from the superrich with links to tax havens, these borders suddenly don't seem to matter. "Farage's plans to raise millions from foreign sources exposes how vulnerable our democracy is to outside interference. It's time the Electoral Commission gets serious on closing the gating loopholes in donations rules.' There is no suggestion of wrongdoing or that any have unlawfully avoided paying tax. But our probe last September raised questions about Reform's reliance on money from sources linked to tax havens. Their combined donations of £16.5m formed about 75% of the £22.5m Reform has registered with the Electoral Commission since 2019, including a period when it was the Brexit Party.
Sky News
14-04-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Reform UK treasurer Candy sweet on merger of payments firms
A payments company backed by Nick Candy, the Reform UK treasurer, will this week announce a tie-up with a London-based peer amid a rapidly shifting industry landscape. Sky News has learnt that VibePay, in which Candy Ventures is the largest shareholder, has agreed a deal to sell itself to Banked, a so-called 'pay by bank' platform. The all-share deal, which is expected to be announced on Tuesday, will see Mr Candy's investment vehicle holding a stake of roughly 25% in the combined group, according to insiders. One source said the deal would value the enlarged company at in excess of $100m. As part of the transaction, the VibePay founder, Luke Massie, and Candy Ventures director Steven Smith will join the board of Banked. VibePay specialises in 'conversational commerce', providing personalised offers and peer-to-peer payments to its users, connecting them to brands, sellers and banks. People close to the deal said that the takeover would help address a market opportunity by rewarding debit customers who have been overlooked by credit card operators, with debit card payments making up nearly 90% of all UK card payments but representing just a tiny fraction of payment rewards. Banked counts global financial giants including Bank of America, Citi, FIS and NAB among its strategic investors and partners. It has previously raised more than $60m in funding, while VibePay has raised over $10m from its backers. The deal is understood to be awaiting approval from the City regulator. In response to an enquiry from Sky News, Mr Candy said: "I've been a strong supporter of VibePay, and I'm excited about the future with Banked. "The global vision of the Banked founders is truly inspiring, and I see immense potential in the combined vision for the next generation of payments. "This is a positive moment for the UK technology sector, with two British companies coming together to drive forward a global ambition. "I'm proud to be a part of this journey and am eager to champion this story both in the UK and internationally." Mr Massie added: "We've spent years building technology that genuinely connects people - not just for transactions, but for experiences. "By joining forces with Banked, we now have the infrastructure, global reach, and merchant access to supercharge what we've built, and deliver real value to consumers at scale." Banked bought Waave, an Australian pay-by-bank provider, last October, strengthening its international presence, while it has a partnership with NAB - one of Australia's biggest lenders - to offer a service to Amazon customers in the country. "The real value in Pay by Bank goes beyond cheap and secure payments; it's in making spending work for everyone," said Brad Goodall, Banked's chief executive. "The combination of Banked and VibePay will drive Pay by Bank adoption through innovative consumer incentives - on par with credit cards - and empower merchants with deep data insights to drive acquisition and retention like never before.
Reuters
27-02-2025
- Business
- Reuters
London's One Hyde Park needs $44 million in repairs, UK court told
LONDON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - The manager of London's One Hyde Park apartment block, one of the world's most expensive addresses, is suing a British construction giant for just over 35 million pounds ($44.2 million), after pipework in the properties became corroded. One Hyde Park was developed by British brothers Christian and Nick Candy with Qatari businessman Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani. One apartment in the block is on sale for 175 million pounds. Most of the owners of the 85 apartments are not known but the former prime minister of Qatar Sheikh Hamad owns one, according to a ruling on Wednesday in an unrelated case. The apartment complex was designed and constructed by a subsidiary of Laing O'Rourke, Laing O'Rourke Construction South Limited, and completed in 2011. Lawyers representing One Hyde Park Limited, which owns the freehold, say the building's chilled water pipework is corroded because it was not properly installed. One Hyde Park is suing the Laing O'Rourke subsidiary at London's High Court to cover the cost of removing and replacing the majority of the pipework, which would require tenants to move out in stages while the work is carried out. Laing O'Rourke Construction South Limited denied that the pipework was in disrepair in a written defence filed in January 2023, adding that it was not liable in any event. But the company did not send representatives to defend the case at a hearing on Thursday, which One Hyde Park's lawyers say is because Laing O'Rourke withdrew support for its subsidiary. Andrew Rigney, a lawyer representing One Hyde Park, said in written submissions that "the withdrawal of support ... is part of a deliberate and cynical strategy to evade responsibility for funding the compensation". A spokesperson for Laing O'Rourke said the company had "engaged in extensive negotiations with the management company of One Hyde Park over the past decade and has made several offers to resolve this matter amicably and fairly". The spokesperson added that the company was "disappointed that the management company elected not to engage more fully with our many proposals to resolve this dispute".
