Zia Yusuf Ignores Nigel Farages Criticism On X

Zia Yusuf has snubbed Nigel Farage by refusing to delete a post on X calling former Tory defence secretary Ben Wallace “a traitor to Britain”.

The Reform UK leader slapped down his home affairs spokesman for the comment, which sparked an angry backlash, and said he would give him “a ticking off”.

But more than 12 hours later, Yusuf’s offending tweet – as well as a poll he posted asking whether Wallace should be “prosecuted for treason”.

As well as being a former cabinet minister, Wallace also served in the Scots Guards in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

However, Yusuf said he had betrayed his country by allowing thousands of Afghans who had served the UK during the war in their country into the UK.

That was in response to Wallace criticising Reform’s plan to send foreign criminals in British jails to serve out their sentences in El Salvador.

“Incredible that this moron was defence secretary,” Yusuf said in his post on Monday.

“Our policy today is in direct response to your government’s failures.

“If their home countries won’t take back, their citizens that are languishing in our jails, we are renting spaces in countries like El Salvador to put them.

“They will serve their full jail terms there, and will be banned from ever coming back to Britain.

“You know, the ones you took a super injunction out to keep secret from the British people? That’s why I call you a traitor to Britain. You fit the dictionary definition.”

Asked about the row on Tuesday, Farage told The Sun: “That is too strong a language. I shall give him a ticking off, don’t worry.

“I’ll speak to him today, but it’s over the top.”

It is not known what Farage actually said to Yusuf, or whether he told him to take down his tweets.

Tim Montgomerie – a leading political commentator who quit the Tories to join Reform – also said Yusuf’s language “isn’t acceptable”.

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