Reform UK has suspended former Conservative figure Tim Montgomerie after he publicly criticised senior party figures, including leader Nigel Farage and home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf, in a series of media interviews. Montgomerie, who switched allegiance to Reform 18 months ago, has confirmed he intends to appeal against the decision.
According to a report from Politico's London Playbook published on 18 August 2026, Montgomerie said he does not regret his remarks and is pursuing an appeal against the suspension. The same report quoted him saying he wants Reform to become "the best it can be," and that the suspension followed his public criticism of both Farage and Yusuf.
What triggered the suspension?
The immediate cause appears to be a set of comments Montgomerie made in two separate interviews. Speaking to a national broadcaster on Friday, he expressed frustration at what he called Farage's "aggrieved" tone following the Clacton by-election. Then, in a Monday appearance on The Spectator podcast, he said Yusuf was not a "team player" within the party.
Reform said Montgomerie had been suspended "in line with party rules" as a result of his public criticism of the party. It is understood that he was informed of the suspension before the Spectator podcast episode had even aired.
However, the picture may be more complicated than a single interview. According to the Telegraph, the suspension actually followed "persistent public criticism of the party over many months," rather than being triggered solely by the Spectator remarks. The Spectator itself reported that senior party sources said the party's General Secretary and Chairman had been fielding complaints about Montgomerie's conduct for some time before the suspension was announced, according to the Spectator.
What exactly did Montgomerie say about Farage and Yusuf?
In the podcast interview, Montgomerie praised Farage's abilities as a media performer but suggested he struggled when facing scrutiny over his personal finances and needed sharper preparation for hostile questioning.
"It is clearly his Achilles heel, when he is facing hostile questioning he doesn't perform well," said Montgomerie.
He added that he had privately urged Farage to do more to establish Reform as a "credible party." Separately, the Telegraph reported that Montgomerie went further, accusing Farage of having a "women problem" — a claim that does not appear in Reform's own account of the dispute.
Montgomerie had also been openly critical of Yusuf on social media in recent weeks. He told the Spectator that Yusuf was "loyal to Nigel as he has to be if he wants to succeed him" but did not behave as a "team player." He said Yusuf had refused to speak to him for three months after he helped Conservative MP Robert Jenrick defect to Reform, and accused Yusuf of acting "like a child."
How has Montgomerie responded?
After news of the suspension broke on the Guido Fawkes website, Montgomerie posted a video statement on X in which he said he remained committed to the party's policies and its membership, insisting his public criticisms were intended to make Reform "better and stronger."
"If they want to kick me out, they are going to have to kick me out after an argument," he said.
Montgomerie said Farage had not personally been involved in the decision to suspend him, and noted that he had warned the Reform leader when he joined the party that he would sometimes be critical, just as he had been of Conservative leadership during his years running the ConservativeHome website. He said Farage had told him there was insufficient internal debate within Reform and had welcomed him into the party on the understanding that he would provide it.
Who is Tim Montgomerie?
Montgomerie founded the ConservativeHome website and spent 33 years within the Conservative Party before publicly switching his support to Reform in December 2024, according to ConservativeHome. That background as a prominent commentator and adviser gave him a degree of standing within conservative-leaning media circles even after his defection.
The Spectator also reported that Farage generally prefers to keep internal disagreements private, framing the suspension as consistent with the party's approach to internal discipline.
What happens next?
Montgomerie's appeal against the suspension is understood to be the immediate next step, according to the Politico report. ConservativeHome noted that Reform has not yet specified how long the suspension will last or what process will be used to resolve the dispute. The Spectator described the situation as continuing to develop, suggesting further reaction from within the party may follow. Separately, the Spectator reported that Montgomerie is considering setting up a Reform-focused equivalent of the ConservativeHome website.
Key Facts
- Tim Montgomerie has been suspended from Reform UK after criticising Nigel Farage and Zia Yusuf in media interviews.
- He plans to appeal, saying he does not regret his comments and wants Reform to be "the best it can be."
- The Telegraph reports the suspension followed months of criticism, not a single interview, and cites an unconfirmed claim that Montgomerie accused Farage of a "women problem."
- Montgomerie switched from the Conservatives, where he spent 33 years and founded ConservativeHome, to Reform in December 2024.
- The Spectator reports Montgomerie may launch a Reform-focused version of ConservativeHome.
