A heated dispute has erupted following the comparison made by the Conservative Party chairman between Nigel Farage’s Reform party and the Nazis.
Kevin Hollinrake drew controversy by sharing an image of a Swastika badge in response to a post by the Reform leader. While he swiftly removed the post, Hollinrake later reinforced his stance by sharing a link to a page detailing the badge’s history.
Hollinrake, who assumed the party role in July, posted an image of a badge given to the initial 100,000 members of Adolf Hitler’s party in 1933, in reaction to Farage’s post hinting at future developments with a gold Reform logo.
Despite deleting the image, Hollinrake proceeded to share a link to the Wikipedia page concerning the badge, adding an “eyes” emoji. This provocative move triggered anger within Reform circles.
In response, Farage remarked, “This is why they are on course to win 14 seats at the next election,” citing leaked polling data from Tory headquarters indicating a potential significant victory in an upcoming general election.
Reform advisor Alan Mendoza, a recent defector from the Tories, criticized Hollinrake’s actions, labeling the comparison between Reform and Farage to the Nazis as inappropriate and weak.
Tory MP Suella Braverman denounced the comparison as incorrect, irresponsible, and counterproductive, asserting that Hollinrake’s views did not represent her own.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch characterized Hollinrake’s actions as a joke, mentioning Reform’s online behavior towards other politicians. A Tory spokesperson criticized Reform for focusing on social media rather than addressing other pertinent issues.
A source from Reform expressed dismay, highlighting that the Conservative Party chairman’s actions implied that supporting Reform equated to being a Nazi, further deteriorating the Tory party’s reputation.
Hollinrake later shared a link to a page detailing the Golden Party Badge, an award approved by Hitler for the initial group of members, with a specific number receiving the badge.
Reform’s policy chief Zia Yusuf indicated that Hollinrake’s actions could harm the reelection prospects of Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick, as the issue would be widely publicized to constituents, painting the Tories as equating Reform supporters with Nazis.
