Top Conservative member James Cleverly has distanced himself from a comment made by the party chairman comparing Reform UK to Adolf Hitler’s Nazis. Despite Kemi Badenoch dismissing it as a joke, Cleverly criticized the comparison made by Kevin Hollinrake, stating it was not well-received and caused public outcry. Hollinrake, who has led the party since July, shared an image of a Swastika badge in response to a post by the Reform leader. Although he swiftly removed the post, he later reinforced his stance by sharing a link to information about the badge.
Speaking on Times Radio, Cleverly expressed his disapproval, stating that the post did not convey the intended message effectively. He linked the incident to the previous leader of Reform in Wales being imprisoned for accepting bribes from the Russian government to promote Russian propaganda. Cleverly criticized Nigel Farage for not investigating Russian influence within Reform, deeming it unacceptable for a party leader. The former leader of Reform UK in Wales, Nathan Gill, was recently sentenced to ten-and-a-half years in prison for confessing to taking Russian bribes.
In defense of Hollinrake, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch labeled the comment as a joke, highlighting Reform’s online behavior towards other politicians. Hollinrake’s post, featuring a badge awarded to early members of Hitler’s party in 1933, was in response to Farage’s announcement of a forthcoming event, accompanied by the Reform logo.
Despite the deletion of the image, Hollinrake proceeded to share a link to the Wikipedia page about the badge, provoking strong reactions within Reform circles. Farage retaliated, predicting success for Reform in the upcoming election due to leaked polls from the Tory headquarters.
Reform advisor Alan Mendoza, a recent defector from the Tories, condemned Hollinrake’s comparison as derogatory, lazy, and baseless. Tory MP Suella Braverman also criticized the comparison, labeling it as wrong and irresponsible, emphasizing that Hollinrake’s views do not align with hers.
A Tory spokesperson criticized Reform for prioritizing social media over addressing the scandals within their party, such as their leader’s imprisonment and proposed welfare changes. In response, a Reform source accused the Conservative Party of equating Reform voters to Nazis, asserting a decline in the Tories’ ethical standards.
Hollinrake shared a link to information about the Golden Party Badge, an accolade bestowed by Hitler on early party members. The badge was selectively awarded to individuals deserving special recognition. Reform’s policy chief, Zia Yusuf, warned that Hollinrake’s actions could adversely impact the reelection prospects of Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick, as the incident may be heavily publicized to constituents.
