Top Conservative figure James Cleverly has distanced himself from a recent comment made by party chairman Kevin Hollinrake, who compared Reform UK to the Nazis led by Adolf Hitler. Despite Kemi Badenoch labeling it as a joke, Cleverly expressed disapproval of Hollinrake’s statement, calling it an inappropriate post that stirred controversy.
In response to a social media post by the leader of Reform UK, Hollinrake shared an image of a Swastika badge but swiftly removed it. However, he later reinforced his stance by sharing a link to a page explaining the badge.
Cleverly criticized Hollinrake’s actions on Times Radio, suggesting that the intention behind the comparison may have been to highlight scandals within Reform UK, including the recent imprisonment of their former Welsh leader for accepting Russian bribes. Although Cleverly acknowledged the issues within Reform, he emphasized that such comparisons were not the right approach.
Furthermore, Cleverly criticized Nigel Farage for dismissing concerns about Russian influence within Reform UK, deeming it unacceptable for a party leader. The tensions escalated as Reform advisor Alan Mendoza and Tory MP Suella Braverman condemned Hollinrake’s comparison as inappropriate and counterproductive.
The interaction between Conservative members and Reform UK has sparked a heated debate, with each side trading accusations and criticisms. The incident has raised concerns about political discourse and relationships between different parties in the UK political landscape.