Ben Habib is feeling put out.
Tensions surfaced in Reform today after Nigel Farage effectively sacked his deputy Ben Habib.
Mr Farage – who was formally sworn in as an MP this morning – has announced a new ‘leadership team’, making made Richard Tice his deputy.
Lee Anderson, another of the five elected for the party on July 4, becomes Chief Whip, and millionaire donor Zia Yusuf chairman of the outfit.
But Mr Habib told MailOnline he was ‘considering his position’ in Reform after being ‘informed’ by Mr Farage that he no longer had a job.
‘I am considering my position more generally in light of this change,’ he said.
‘I have long held concerns about the control of the party and the decision making processes.
‘I will reflect on all of this. The key for me is that Reform UK stays true to the promises made to the British people.
I’ve got a lot of time for Ben. He is a voice of common sense and he would be a loss if he left. However, he’s got it wrong here. Unfortunately, he didn’t win in the seat he contested. Consequently, he is not a part of the parliamentary party whereas Richard Tice is, so the appointments make perfect sense. Ben should take it on the chin and bide his time. There will, hopefully, be a place for him.
I don’t know how much a mistake this is for the Nige, or for reform, or if it will make any difference at all (it won’t change my intention to vote for them again next opportunity and I amuse myself trying to imagine what twisted nightmare reality I would have to be wormholed to before I would even dream about voting uniarse!)
If two reform members have a game of noughts and crosses, that’s war!
It hasn’t been a week and one of the “hard hitters” has just pissed off an entire industry, including some of the worlds largest and most powerful companies. You’ve spent millions evaluating a potential oilfield? Well you can’t because globo-filth!
Thought they would have make two weeks!
Of Habib has, indeed, been ‘sacked’ (and we all know how impartial the main stream media is in not being selective with their wording), then this is a massive mistake by Farage. Even though he was not selected as a Reform MP, his knowledge and political wisdom still offers a great value to the Party. To my !mind, there is no reason why Ben Habib can not be retained in an official capacity as an advisor. I would trust him and his views more than I would trust Tice (still out on Lee Anderson).
I agree with all of that.
I like Lee Anderson, he appears to be very down to earth. However, he was a Labour councillor until 2018, he switched to the Conservatives later that year. He was elected as a Conservative MP in 2019. He switched to Reform this year. Where does his true allegiance lie?
As I said, I like him. But…
That pattern suggest the traditional white working class.