A former key ally of Nigel Farage and high-profile figure within Reform UK has quit the party following a public row in the wake of his suspension.
A civil war erupted within the party after Tim Montgomerie, a commentator and senior party figure, was suspended last month following public criticism of Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf.
Mr Montgomerie told the BBC’s Newsnight at the time that he was “going to fight” his suspension, but revealed this week he had quit the party altogether.
He told the BBC the party wanted him to return “meekly”, which he said he “wasn’t prepared to do”.
Mr Montgomerie, who defected to the party in 2024 after 33 years as a Conservative, said he would still support Reform UK, but warned Mr Farage “needs to get a grip” of the party.
“Nigel needs to get a grip, he needs to lead the party”, he said. “The one thing he’s been brilliant at is policing the right and stopping [far-right activist] Tommy Robinson joining.
“But for the sake of his legacy and the sake of decency he needs to sort it out, and bring people like Zia [Yusuf] under control.”
He later added on X that though he still wants Mr Farage to be the next prime minister, it will not be possible unless the party “rejects all imitations of Restore” and “professionalises its HQ urgently”.
“It’s easier for me to argue for all of this as a non-member given the unfortunate recent decision by hot-heads in HQ to suspend me,” he wrote.
Mr Montgomerie had been openly critical of Mr Yusuf in the weeks before his suspension and even publicly suggested in a podcast that “Nigel has fallen out of love with Zia”.
The row erupted last month after Mr Farage hit out at Mr Yusuf for calling a former Tory defence secretary a “traitor” and suggesting that Ben Wallace should be prosecuted for his role in Afghans coming to Britain after the UK’s withdrawal.
Speaking on The Spectator’s Coffee House Shots podcast, Mr Montgomerie said: “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, 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.”
It is understood he was notified of his suspension before the podcast was broadcast, after having publicly criticised the party on many occasions.
He also revealed on the podcast that Mr Yusuf “did not talk to me” for three months after the home affairs spokesperson found out he had helped Robert Jenrick defect to Reform, and accused him of behaving “like a child”.
“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.”