Reform civil war?

The Mirror reports that Reform UK has suspended one of its highest-profile supporters as cracks start to show in Nigel Farage's party.

The paper says that Tim Montgomerie criticised Mr Farage after he refused to attend the Clacton by-election count on Friday. They add that he also hit out at combative frontbencher Zia Yusuf, suggesting people "cannot behave like a child" in politics and lifting the lid on internal rows:

Mr Montgomerie has previously been critical over the way Mr Farage has responded to questions about an undeclared £5million 'gift' from crypto billonare Christopher Harborne.

It is understood the Reform hierarchy got fed up with Mr Montgomerie's criticisms. and decided enough was enough Last week the political commentator, who founded the ConservativeHome website before switching allegiances to Reform, hit out at Mr Farage's no-show in Clacton and questioned his ability to keep Mr Yusuf under control.

Instead of attending the result declaration after his ill-thought-out by-election, the Reform leader opted to spend the night celebrating at a 'Farage Fest' with supporters. He claimed he had been warned of a plot to disrupt proceedings, but police say no candidates were advised to stay away.

On Friday Mr Montgomerie suggested that Mr Farage has spent too much time wallowing in self pity. He wrote on X: "This recently far too dominant aggrieved tone is still with us. It's not good.

"You don't skip your own victory count without a much better explanation. Anger from politicians can work but only if it's on behalf of others - not yourself. He's distracting from his victory. Puzzling."

He has been heavily-critical of Mr Yusuf, the party's home affairs spokesman. Speaking on a Spectator podcast, Mr Montgomerie said; "There are a lot of people who are not on speaking terms with Zia, and it's nearly always Zia who initiates this. And it has to end. You cannot behave like a child in politics."

Mr Montgomerie also suggested Mr Yusuf is not a team player. It comes days after Mr Yusuf sparked fury by branding former Defence Secretary and ex-soldier Sir Ben Wallace a "traitor" and called for him to be prosecuted over his role in Afghans coming to Britain.

In a public response on social media, Mr Montgomerie wrote: "This isn't acceptable from Zia. I don't agree with Ben Wallace on this issue but Zia's language and attitude towards any opponent is inappropriate and counter-productive.

"Opponents are opponents... they aren't enemies... or 'moron's. One of the biggest question marks over Nigel Farage's leadership is whether he brings Zia under control.

"ZY is a man of huge talents but too much of his social media output is intemperate and reinforces Reform's number one problem: our negative tactical voting challenge."

Montgomerie has also been open in his criticism of Farage accepting a £5m gift, telling the BBC in July that: “People do not normally get a £5 million gift, we get a box of chocolates or a bottle of champagne, that’s the sort of gift most people get." And he went on: “I think he has to find better answers to these questions so far, and he will do, because the parliamentary process is now underway and he will have to be open”.

Things are clearly not rosy within Reform UK. Are Tim Montgomerie's views representative of others within the party? Is Farage losing his grip on his own organisation?