Nigel Farage stirs tensions in Reform UK as he ousts deputies

Conflicts within Reform UK have escalated as Nigel Farage removed its two experienced deputy leaders and implemented other changes in leadership.

Ben Habib, a previous member of the Brexit party in the European Parliament, has been a co-deputy leader since March 2023. He recently mentioned that he is contemplating his role after being informed by Farage that he will be replaced by Richard Tice, a Reform MP and former leader.

Habib expressed worries about the party's leadership and how decisions are made. He pointed out that Reform UK's structure is different, with limited involvement from members and no way to stop Farage from making decisions.

The wealthy entrepreneur Zia Yusuf, who has become one of Reform's major financial backers, has been appointed as the party's new chairperson.

Last week, it was revealed that nearly 30% of the £600,000 raised by the rightwing party during the fourth week of the election campaign was contributed by Yusuf. He is the founder of a high-end concierge company named Velocity Black. Yusuf made a favorable impression on party members when he spoke at a pre-election rally held at the NEC in Birmingham.

Reform revealed on Thursday that Tice, who resigned as leader last month to make way for Farage's return, will now transition from his previous position as chair to take on the role of deputy leader both in the Commons and within the party as a whole. Tice is taking over from the former deputy leaders, Habib and David Bull.

The response from Habib, a previous donor to conservative causes, who was unsuccessful in securing a seat for Reform during the recent general election, exposes underlying conflicts.

The conflicts stem from the establishment of the Brexit party in March 2019, later rebranded as Reform UK in 2021. In order to prevent the internal unrest that plagued Ukip, Farage and his colleagues opted for a company structure that he could oversee, rather than a traditional political party that required more formal management.

Farage has the most shares in Reform UK Party Ltd and is listed as the only "person with significant control" out of the four officers on the Companies House register.

Farage announced through the party that these new appointments are just the beginning of getting Reform UK prepared to spread its positive message. He believes that by making the party more professional, they can make a lasting impact on politics.

Habib posted on Twitter that he will be thinking about his departure. He also mentioned that it is important to him that Reform UK keeps the promises they made to the British citizens. He believes that the movement they started is not theirs, but belongs to the people. He feels grateful and obligated to the British public.

There were signs of previous disagreements soon after Farage returned as leader, when he ignored an agreement that Habib had helped negotiate to offer assistance to candidates from the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) party in Northern Ireland.