Reform’s Zia Yusuf accuses Rayner of hypocrisy over tax row and says Farage is ‘playing by the rules’ on his own
Reform’s Zia Yusuf has told LBC that Angela Rayner is guilty of “hypocrisy” after “hounding out” politicians over their own tax affairs.
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The party’s DOGE chief and former chairman insisted that Nigel Farage, who is under scrutiny over his own tax affairs, was “playing by the rules”.
He told us that it was “difficult to have sympathy” with her situation after being Labour’s attack dog on wrong-doing.
The ethics adviser is due to report back as early as today on whether the Deputy Prime Minister broke the ministerial code when she under-paid tens of thousands of pounds in stamp duty, which she says was done on the advice of experts.
Mr Yusuf told LBC this morning: "I think it's really important that politicians play by the rules. That's the key thing.
Read more: Judgement day for Rayner? Deputy PM could be dismissed as early as today
"And if you look at Angela Rayner, she by her own admission has said that she has underpaid tax. It's difficult to have sympathy when she has personally hounded out of office many, many politicians on the basis of this exact thing.
"So we talk about hypocrisy. That's exactly what it is".
But he admitted it was unacceptable for Ms Rayner to have the area near her home graffitied.
He told LBC: "That's awful. It's unacceptable. Totally condemn that. And I sympathise for anyone who has to go through that".
He also defended his party leader after it was revealed that he is using tweaks to his own tax arrangements to organise his own finances.
Though it’s not illegal, using companies like Mr Farage does to organise his tax affairs means he will be able to benefit from lower rates in some areas.
Mr Yusuf also hailed the defection of the party’s newest recruit, former culture secretary, Nadine Dorries.
He said she had said the party was “dead, and people should wake up and smell the coffee”.
He went on: "And this is one of the most loyal and historically one of the most loyal and close affiliates of the former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
"She has also gone on the record to say that the Tories did great damage to the country, something we totally agree with. So we're delighted to welcome her.
"There are a few who still either harbour some hope that Boris might come back for some wretched reason, or the cadaver of the Tories might be resuscitated and again, they should take Nadine's words seriously. The Tory Party is dead".
But when grilled on whether he’d like to see her become an MP again, he insisted “no one’s going to get a leg up”.
Mr Yousaf has told today how the party wants to put more non-MPs in a Reform Cabinet.
He said there would be more people who have “achieved great things in life” - such as peers or businessmen.
And he hit out at politicians with not enough experience including Ed Miliband and Rachel Reeves.
Mr Farage will open the party’s conference in Birmingham today, as he warns they must be ready for an early election in 2027.
Another poll isn’t scheduled until 2029, but the Reform leader reckons this Labour government won’t last until then.
Allies say the person he most fears going up against would be Angela Rayner, as she is down to earth and genuine like he tries to be.
A special guest is expected to introduce Mr Farage, with speculation rife it could be the recently-freed Lucy Connoly, who was jailed last year over inciting violence in tweets, following the Southport riots.
Mr Yusuf told LBC that Reform was “giving millions of people in this country hope”.
He added: "To them, Reform is not just a political party.
"We hear this all the time from people. It represents, really, for them, the last hope they see for this great country to turn itself around for them and for their kids".