Jemma Forte tore Reform Party leader Richard Tice over Brexiteers who profited from the financial turmoil of Britain’s split with the European Union.
The broadcaster went toe-to-toe with Tice after Ben Habib came third in the Wellingborough by-election, bolstering general election hopes within the former Brexit-backing party.
Habib managed to attract 13 per cent of the vote share in the previously safe Tory seat in a result that he says shows that the “political sands are shifting”.
Thirteen per cent on a low turnout equated to as few as 3,919 votes.
Habib is one of the prominent Brexiteers who profited from the market turmoil caused by Britain’s split with the EU, seeing an influx of cash injected into a company he set up to “take advantage” of a slowdown in the UK commercial property market.
Others, such as Crispin Odey and – if rumours are to be believed – Nigel Farage cashed in on the split by shorting the pound, which effectively bets on the value of the British currency to go down.
As Forte points here, any suggestion that such moves represent the patriotic case are surely wide of the mark:
Related: Clip of Ian Hislop pointing out extent of Russian money in Tory Party resurfaces
