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”.
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.
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“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.”
Nigel Farage May NOT Lead Reform UK Into Next General Election, Former Ally Warns
Nigel Farage’s future as leader of Reform UK has come under renewed scrutiny after former ally Tim Montgomerie suggested that the veteran politician might not lead the party into the next general election.
Montgomerie’s comments have added to growing speculation about the party’s internal divisions, its political direction and the pressure facing its leadership.
The former Conservative adviser announced his departure from Reform after a public dispute with Zia Yusuf, the party’s home affairs spokesman. He subsequently suggested that disagreements within the organisation could have consequences for Farage’s long-term leadership.
Although Farage has repeatedly insisted that he intends to lead Reform into the next election, Montgomerie believes developments behind the scenes could complicate those plans.
The dispute has raised an important question for the party: can Reform maintain its political momentum while managing disagreements among senior figures over strategy, messaging and the balance between different strands of the right?
Former ally raises questions about Farage’s future
Montgomerie, the founder and former editor of the ConservativeHome website, joined Reform after leaving the Conservative Party in December 2024.
He had previously worked as an adviser to former prime minister Boris Johnson and was seen as a figure who could help Reform appeal to voters beyond its traditional support base.
However, his relationship with the party deteriorated following disagreements with Yusuf.
Speaking to GB News, Montgomerie suggested that Farage might not necessarily remain leader until the next general election. He indicated that important developments were taking place behind the scenes, although he did not provide definitive evidence that a leadership change was being planned.
His comments were particularly notable because he had previously supported Farage’s political project.
Montgomerie argued that Reform needed to return to the broader political vision he believed had attracted support two years earlier.
In his view, the party risked becoming increasingly focused on a narrower political approach rather than building a coalition capable of appealing to a wider range of voters.
He also called on Farage to demonstrate firmer control over the organisation and its senior representatives.
For Montgomerie, the issue was not simply whether Reform should adopt tougher policies. It was whether the party could maintain a coherent strategy when influential figures appeared to disagree publicly about its direction.
The dispute with Zia Yusuf
The disagreement between Montgomerie and Yusuf became the immediate reason for the former adviser’s departure.
Montgomerie criticised Yusuf for making policy interventions that he believed undermined the leadership’s broader objectives.
He argued that a senior spokesman should operate within a clear political strategy rather than pursuing an independent approach that could create confusion among voters.
Montgomerie also expressed concern about Yusuf’s confrontational style and his public remarks about other political figures.
One flashpoint involved Yusuf’s description of former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace, who served in the British Army, as a traitor to Britain. Montgomerie criticised the language and questioned whether such rhetoric helped Reform achieve its objectives.
The former adviser suggested that Yusuf’s conduct risked creating unnecessary conflict inside the party.
He also speculated that Yusuf might harbour ambitions to become leader himself. However, that was Montgomerie’s interpretation of the situation, not evidence that Yusuf was organising a leadership challenge.
Yusuf responded briefly, acknowledging that the two men disagreed on many issues while wishing Montgomerie well.
Reform also issued a statement thanking its departing supporter for his contribution.
The exchange demonstrated how disagreements over political language and strategy can become wider arguments about authority, discipline and the future leadership of a party.
Reform faces a difficult strategic choice
The dispute comes as Reform attempts to establish itself as a credible alternative to Labour and the Conservatives.
Farage has built much of the party’s public profile around his personal campaigning style, his criticism of established political institutions and his positions on immigration, taxation and Britain’s relationship with Europe.
That approach has helped him attract voters who are dissatisfied with the traditional parties.
However, a party seeking to expand its appeal faces a difficult balancing act.
It must retain supporters who want more radical changes while convincing other voters that its policies are practical, affordable and suitable for government.
Montgomerie believes Reform risks moving away from that wider ambition.
He has argued that the party should concentrate on the issues that initially attracted voters rather than allowing internal disputes or provocative statements to dominate its public image.
Supporters of a tougher approach may disagree, believing that the party’s distinctiveness depends on refusing to moderate its positions for political convenience.
This tension is not unique to Reform. Political movements that grow rapidly often face disagreements about whether they should broaden their appeal or reinforce the positions that helped them become successful.
For Farage, the challenge is to manage those competing demands without weakening the party’s identity.
Questions over leadership and succession
Speculation about Farage’s future has continued despite his public commitment to leading Reform into the next general election.
In September 2026, he told the party conference that he was determined to lead Reform to victory at the next election.
Nevertheless, reports have described discussions within the party about what might happen if he eventually decides to stand down.
Potential successors mentioned in political reporting have included deputy leader Richard Tice, Yusuf and Robert Jenrick, the former Conservative politician who joined Reform.
Each has a different political profile.
Tice has experience leading the party and has been closely involved in its organisation and fundraising.
Yusuf has become an influential voice on immigration and other policy issues, although his combative public style has attracted criticism from some colleagues.
Jenrick brings experience from government and the Conservative Party, but his background may make it harder for him to appeal to some Reform supporters who view the traditional political establishment with suspicion.
There is no confirmed leadership contest, and the existence of possible successors does not establish that Farage is preparing to leave.
Indeed, reporting from the party conference indicated that Reform members remained strongly supportive of Farage, even as questions about his future continued. <Cite refs={[“turn531497search0″,”turn531497search2”]} />
That support is significant because any transition would involve more than selecting a new leader. Reform would also need to establish whether its organisation, public identity and electoral appeal could remain intact without the politician who has become its defining figure.
Polling pressure and political challenges
Farage’s leadership has also been discussed against the background of changing polling figures and increased scrutiny of Reform’s finances.
The party has faced questions about donations, including the reported £5 million personal gift Farage received from cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne.
Separately, the Metropolitan Police opened an investigation following an undercover television report concerning proposed donations and political polling. Reform has denied wrongdoing, and the investigation does not itself establish that any offence occurred.
These controversies have created additional pressure on the party’s leadership and its efforts to present itself as ready for government.
Reform must also contend with competition from the Conservatives and from Restore Britain, the party established by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe.
Differences over immigration, the economy and the party’s relationship with former Conservative politicians could become more consequential as the next election approaches.
Polling should nevertheless be interpreted carefully. Individual surveys measure opinion at a particular moment and do not establish what will happen at a future general election.
The more immediate issue for Reform is whether it can maintain a consistent message and demonstrate that its leadership team can work together effectively.
What does this mean for the next election?
The next general election is expected by 2029, although the precise date has not been fixed.
Farage has said he intends to lead Reform into that contest. Montgomerie’s remarks represent a challenge to that expectation, but they remain the opinion of a departing former supporter rather than confirmation of a planned leadership change.
Much will depend on how the party performs over the coming years, how it handles controversies and whether senior figures can resolve disagreements without allowing them to dominate its public image.
If Reform strengthens its organisation and maintains support, Farage may have a clear incentive to continue leading the party.
If internal divisions deepen or political circumstances change, questions about succession could become more prominent.
However, neither outcome is inevitable.
Montgomerie’s departure also illustrates a wider difficulty for Reform: attracting experienced figures from other political backgrounds can broaden its expertise, but it can also introduce competing expectations about how the party should operate.
Farage must therefore balance loyalty to his existing supporters with the need to manage a growing political organisation.
A test of Farage’s authority
The latest dispute does not mean Farage is about to lose his position. He remains the party’s central public figure and has explicitly stated his intention to lead Reform at the next general election.
Nevertheless, Montgomerie’s warning highlights the questions that can emerge when a party’s strategy becomes the subject of disagreement among its own senior figures.
The argument is ultimately about more than one former adviser’s departure. It concerns the kind of political movement Reform wants to become and the leadership arrangements needed to sustain it.
For now, Farage’s plans remain unchanged publicly.
Whether he leads Reform into the next general election will depend on decisions and developments that have yet to occur. Montgomerie’s prediction has added to the speculation, but the party has not announced a change of leadership.
The coming months will show whether Reform can settle its internal disagreements, maintain confidence among its supporters and concentrate on the political issues it hopes will define the next election campaign.