Reform UK ex-chair apologises after his social media platform ‘likes’ antisemitic slur on Jenrick
Zia Yusef, one of Nigel Farage's party's most influential figures, blames 'one of the team' for liking far-right attack on Jenrick's 'Jewish wife'
One of Reform UK’s most senior figures has apologised and blamed “one of the team” after he liked a social media post that branded the Conservative minister Robert Jenrick a “traitorous zogbot with a Jewish wife and family.”
Zia Yusef, who heads up Reform’s government efficiency department having previously been party chairman, apologised on Friday after his own social media platform on X liked that extreme far-right post which also suggested Jews were responsible for “importing brown savages to rape our women and children.”
In a post on Friday Yusef said:”One of the team who post to my X account accidentally pressed like on an awful antisemitic tweet earlier today. I apologise for this.
“The post also refers to ‘brown savages’, and is equally racist against me. Clearly it was not intentional.
The amount of antisemitism and racism on this platform is spiralling out of control, and I hope that changes soon.”
An X user called British Racial Chauvinism had posted:”Reminder that Jenrick is a traitorous Zogbot with a Jewish wife and family.
“I’m sure its unrelated that he imported infinite brown savages to rape our women and children.”
A Zogbot is a derogatory slang term used in some far-right or conspiracy-focused online groups, while “ZOG” is a white supremacist acronym for “Zionist Occupied Government.”
The British Racial Chauvinism platform on X is littered with further examples of antisemitism and other racist posts, and uses a photograph of Enoch Powell as its logo.
Nigel Farage has previously described described Yusuf as being a huge factor in Reform’s success. The Muslim son of Sri Lankan immigrants, and a former Conservative, he handed Reform £200,000 last year.
A self-described “British Muslim patriot” he resigned as chairman last month with Yusuf said to have been increasingly at odds with other senior figures in the party.
He has subsequently return to the party days later to lead its “Doge team” – which is modelled on the Department of Government Efficiency set up by US President Donald Trump.
But his apology and admission that “one of the team” has liked an openly antisemitic post will raise widespread concern amongst Jewish supporters of Reform UK.
Rael Braverman, the Jewish husband of Suella, announced he was leaving the party he joined only in January earlier this week.
Jenrick, who is currently shadow justice secretary, but is tipped as possible leadership contender for the Tories in place of Kemi Badenoch, is married to Israeli-born corporate lawyer Michal Berkner.
He has been outspoken in his support of Israel, and has taken an increasingly hard line on immigration over the past couple of years.
Jenrick had been Immigration Minister himself under the last Tory government.
Jewish News has contacted Reform UK for comment.
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