Nigel Farage has demanded answers after Tory Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake compared Reform UK to the Nazi Party.
Mr Farage had shared an image of a black and gold Reform badge to promote a “collector’s edition” party football shirt.
But in response, Mr Hollinrake shared an image of the “Golden Party Badge”, awarded to the first 100,000 people who joined Adolf Hitler’s Nazis.
The Tory chairman then proceeded to delete the image, before soon re-sharing a link to the Wikipedia page about the badge.
That then sparked a furious pile-on, with Mr Farage and senior Reform figures all pouring scorn on Mr Hollinrake.
Reform itself said the Tory chairman’s post was “what the Tories really think of anyone voting for Reform” and asked whether Kemi Badenoch would condemn her chairman.
“This is why they are on course to win 14 seats at the next election,” Mr Farage then prodded.
Alan Mendoza, Reform’s new global affairs adviser, said: “Is Kevin Hollinrake out of his mind? Making a comparison between Reform and Nigel Farage to the Nazis is not only a disgraceful slur but also lazy and weak.”
Mr Hollinrake likened the gold Reform logo to the ‘Golden Party Badge’, awarded to the first 100,000 people who joined Adolf Hitler’s Nazis
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REFORM UK/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Zia Yusuf, Reform’s policy chief, then blasted: “Kevin Hollinrake has destroyed any chance of Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick keeping their seats.
“This will be on leaflets and ad vans to the point of saturation, so every single one of their constituents knows: the Tories think that if you support Reform, you’re a Nazi.”
Mr Yusuf later added: “The Tory Party’s latest plan to win back Reform voters? Call them Nazis. Kemi Badenoch is the gift that keeps on giving.”
The spat came on the eve of Reform’s debut at Britain’s largest business conference, the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI’s) annual gathering, on Monday.
‘Is Kevin Hollinrake out of his mind?’ Alan Mendoza asked
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Mr Yusuf is expected to speak at an on-stage Q&A session at the CBI event – which will also see Kemi Badenoch in attendance, as well as Labour’s Peter Kyle and Lib Dem Daisy Cooper.
Rain Newton-Smith, the CBI’s chief executive, said in the summer that the lobby group was “absolutely” talking to Reform – which she dubbed “an important force in our politics”.
A CBI spokeswoman, meanwhile, said: “The CBI’s role is to engage with, scrutinise and challenge all political parties on behalf of business. That means hearing directly from a broad range of voices at our events, including annual conference.
“With speakers from Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Reform, delegates will hear from a broad cross-section of political parties to hear their views on enterprise and the economy.”
Mr Farage’s party has been pushing to turn the heads of Britain’s business leaders – largely through a series of breakfast meetings with execs led by deputy leader Richard Tice.
Zia Yusuf is expected to speak at an on-stage Q&A session at the CBI conference
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The CBI conference will also feature Sir Charlie Mayfield, Labour’s worklessness tsar, as well as Trade Minister Lord Stockwood.
Sir Keir Starmer’s party was able to successfully court business leaders before the General Election – but after last year’s National Insurance-hiking Budget, confidence has plummeted.
The latest S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index on Friday found activity among private sector businesses had stagnated in November ahead of this year’s “nightmare before Christmas” Budget.
Sir Nigel Wilson, the chairman of property giant Canary Wharf Group, said Reform had become a “credible competitor” in an interview with The Times – and laid into a “year of pain” for Labour.
And just this month, digger firm JCB – owned by top Tory donor Lord Bamford – donated £200,000 to Reform.