A top Tory MP has labelled some Reform UK voters “far-right” and claimed former Conservatives will regret supporting Nigel Farage.
Despite pointing the finger at a proportion of the four million people who voted for Reform UK at the last General Election, Conservative Party Chairman Kevin Hollinrake stopped short of accusing Mr Farage of being “far-right”.
Mr Hollinrake made the remarks just weeks after causing a firestorm by comparing Reform UK’s limited edition football shirt to Adolf Hitler’s golden party badge.
The 62-year-old was later forced to apologise, telling GB News: “If people are taking offence by it, I apologise for any offence I have given, of course.”
Lashing out at some Reform UK supporters, Mr Hollinrake told The Telegraph: “They are right-of-centre on some things.
“I don’t think Nigel Farage himself is far-right. I think some people who follow Reform are far-right.
“But on some things, Nigel Farage is right-of-centre. So some things we agree on – how we police our borders, for example, and how we deal with the illegal immigrants.
“On some things, they are left-wing. One of the things they are left-wing on is the economy, which is actually, when all said and done, the most important thing we do in politics.”
A top Tory MP has labelled some Reform UK voters “far-right” and claimed former Conservatives will regret supporting Nigel Farage
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PA
Mr Hollinrake later pointed out he was only accusing a “small number” of Reform UK voters of being “racist”.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer accused Reform of using “racist rhetoric” last month, warning it risks tearing Britain apart.
Sir Keir appeared particularly frustrated by Reform MP Sarah Pochin’s outburst about seeing people of colour on television.
She said: “It drives me mad when I see adverts full of black people, full of Asian people.”
Kevin Hollinrake said Reform offers ‘a lot of bluster’ | PA
Responding to the Runcorn & Helsby MP, the Prime Minister said: “It’s shocking racism and it’s the sort of thing that’ll tear our country apart.
“And tells you everything about Reform. And Nigel Farage has some questions to ask.
“Either he doesn’t consider it racist, which I think is shocking in itself, or he does think it is and shows absolutely no leadership.”
Sir Keir has also levied the same allegation against Mr Farage’s plan to deport hundreds of thousands of immigrants who had legally arrived in the UK.
Nigel Farage was mobbed by supporters in Clacton during the 2024 General Election campaign
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However, Mr Hollinrake also issued a festive warning to former Conservative colleagues who have switched to Reform UK.
“I think you’ll regret it, both in terms of backing the wrong horse and this party has been around hundreds of years as a Conservative Party, 200 years.
“Of course, there were mistakes that were made. But to think somehow this party’s finished because of those difficulties that ultimately cost us our governmental role, I think is wrong.
“And I think they’re just following somebody who is not a solution, somebody who’s good at articulating problems, not good at articulating solutions, so I think they’ll regret it.”
Reform UK has secured 20 high-profile defections at the expense of the Conservative Party, including former No10 adviser Danny Kruger.
PICTURED: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage with former Conservative MP Danny Kruger
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PAResponding to Mr Hollinrake’s comments about Mr Farage’s supporters, a Reform spokesman said: “Mr Hollinrake’s comparison was not just a desperate attack on millions of people, it was also dangerous.
“His leader must have been the only person who found it funny.
“False cries of ‘Nazi’ and ‘racist’ are designed to incite violence against Reform candidates and campaigners.
“The Conservatives have given up at trying to beat us at the ballot box, so they’ve resorted to intimidation.”