There’s yet more infighting at Reform UK following a question posed by the party’s newest MP during this week’s PMQs.
On Wednesday, Sarah Pochin, the recently-elected MP for Runcorn and Helsby, stood up in the house and asked Keir Starmer if he would “ban the burqa.”
With a question that drew gasps from some MPs, Pochin argued a burqa ban would “strengthen strategic alignment with our European neighbours” and was “in the interests of public safety.”
Starmer gave the suggestion short-shrift, and it was later confirmed by Reform that such a ban wasn’t even a party policy.
This seems to have sparked some infighting at the party, with chairman Zia Yusuf taking aim at Pochin for asking the question.
Responding to a post on X from Katie Hopkins – yes, she’s still searching for attention – Yusuf said he had “no idea about the question nor that it wasn’t party policy.”
He then added: “I do think it’s dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn’t do.”
LBC’s Henry Riley said Yusuf’s post “appears to take a pop” at Pochin.
A Labour spokesperson said the row was yet another sign that Reform are “just not credible.”
They said: “Nigel Farage could fit all of his MPs in the back of a cab, yet he can’t stop them fighting among themselves. Reform only guarantees more Liz Truss-style chaos. Their £80 billion of unfunded commitments would lead to economic meltdown … they’re just not credible.”
The spat comes just weeks after a public fallout between Reform leader Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe.
The Great Yarmouth MP was ousted from Reform following allegations he made “threats of physical violence” towards Reform party chairman Zia Yusuf.”
A Met investigation into the allegations was dropped though and no charges were bought against him. Lowe then shared a statement accusing Farage and Reform of carrying out a “brutal smear campaign” against him.
Related: Owner of Reform pub says he regrets voting for Brexit