LIZZY BUCHAN: Farage’s welcome of has-been Nadhim Zahawi reveals Reform are simply ‘usual Tories’
Former Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi became the latest failed Conservative to join Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, bringing with him a bit of clout and a lot of baggage
Nigel Farage welcomed Nadhim Zahawi as Reform’s latest Tory defector(Image: SmartFrame/Zuma Press)
Another day, another Tory has-been jumps ship to Reform UK.
Former Cabinet Minister Nadhim Zahawi became the biggest Conservative beast to join Nigel Farage’s party today, bringing with him a bit of clout and a lot of baggage.
He was a well-known face during the pandemic when he spearheaded the Covid vaccine rollout. But the multi-millionaire MP was later sacked from Government after breaching the ministerial code by failing to disclose that his tax affairs were investigated by HMRC while he was Chancellor. He later paid an eye-watering £5million to HMRC, including a penalty.
Zahawi may also be familiar to readers for claiming for electricity bills for his stables on expenses back in 2013. Or when he was reprimanded by No10 for attending a men-only gala in 2018 where there were allegations that hostesses were subjected to sexual harassment and groping. He apologised for attending but said he had left early.
READ MORE: 19 Tories join Reform as Farage’s party earns new ‘disgraced’ nicknameREAD MORE: Ex-Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi sacked over tax spat defects to Nigel Farage’s Reform
Mega-rich Zahawi, who helped found pollster YouGov and recently tried to organise a bid to buy the Daily Telegraph, has ties to business that make him appealing to Reform as they seek to woo donors and to soften their image. But he is hardly a man of the people.
Nigel Farage tries to paint himself as an ordinary bloke – and Reform as an anti-establishment voice for regular folk who have repeatedly been let down. But by stuffing his party with failed Tories like Zahawi, Farage risks reminding the public that Reform are the same old Conservatives under different branding.
His defection triggered a bitter response from the Tories, with sources claiming he begged for a peerage before defecting to Reform in a strop – something he denies.
The only bright spot is that Zahawi is the latest Boris Johnson loyalist to defect to Reform, joining fellow ultras like Nadine Dorries, Andrea Jenkyns and Jake Berry. None of that lot would be joining Farage if they thought Johnson was making a political comeback any time soon.
Explaining his decision, Zahawi told the press conference today that “our wonderful country is sick”. His declaration shamelessly failed to acknowledge his service to the last four Tory Prime Ministers, who are undoubtedly to blame for this diagnosis.
Whether the public will swallow his claim that Reform is the medicine Britain needs is another matter.
