Reform suspends Tory defector after criticism of senior figures

Reform UK has suspended prominent former Conservative Tim Montgomerie after he criticised senior party figures, including Nigel Farage, in media interviews.

Montgomerie, who defected to Reform 18 months ago after a long career as a Tory adviser and commentator, has said he plans to appeal against the suspension.

On Friday, Montgomerie told the BBC he was frustrated at Farage's "aggrieved" tone after the Clacton by-election - and on Monday he told The Spectator podcast , external that Reform's home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf was not a "team player".

Reform said he had been suspended "in line with party rules" after public criticism of the party.

It is understood Montgomerie was notified of his suspension before the Spectator podcast was broadcast.

In the podcast, he praised Farage's media skills but said he had not dealt well with questions over his personal finances and needed to be better prepared.

"It is clearly his Achilles heel, when he is facing hostile questioning he doesn't perform well," said Montgomerie, adding that he had privately told Farage that he needed to do more to make Reform a "credible party".

Montgomerie has been openly critical of Yusuf on social media recently, and in the Spectator interview he said the home affairs spokesman was "loyal to Nigel as he has to be if he wants to succeed him" but did not act as a "team player".