Zack Polanski grills Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf over party’s ‘links to Putin’

A Reform UK politician has faced a grilling from Green Party leader Zack Polanski over the party’s alleged links to Russia.

Mr Polanski appeared on BBC Question Time last night alongside Zia Yusuf, Reform’s head of policy.

The pair clashed over immigration – unsurprising, given Reform UK’s strong views on the topic – but Mr Yusuf was also confronted about his party’s alleged links to the Kremlin.

Last month, former Reform UK leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, pleaded guilty to bribery charges relating to statements in favour of Russia in the European Parliament.

Nigel Farage has also faced repeated criticism over his comments in 2014 where he said Vladimir Putin was the current world leader he admired the most, ‘as an operator, but not as a human being’.

Mr Polanski brought up Mr Farage’s ties with Putin, questioning Mr Yusuf over whether Mr Farage had posed in a picture with the Russian president.

‘He stood behind Nigel Farage in the picture or was he not,’ Mr Polanski asked.

But the question was quickly glossed over by host Fiona Bruce as she appeared to notice the audience were losing interest in the topic.

‘Hang on a minute. Can I just say, people in the audience,’ she interrupted.

‘I appreciate you both feel really strongly about Nathan Gill, but I can see that people in the audience are going.’

Mr Polanski commented: ‘Bribery from Russia. Pretty serious for our national security.’

Fiona Bruce then responded: ‘Zack, you’ve made your point. There’s other things that the audience wants to talk about, am I right?’

Multiple members of the audience could then be heard saying ‘yes’ in response.

Elsewhere during the programme, the audience could be heard gasping and clapping when Mr Polanski challenged Mr Yusuf on immigration.

Mr Yusuf was commenting on Tory MP Robert Jenrick branding the area of Handsworth in Birmingham ‘a slum’, and complaining that during his visit he did not see any other white faces.

Mr Polanski cut in accusing Mr Yusuf of ‘spreading misinformation and fear’, receiving claps and cheers in response from the audience.

The Reform UK politician, whose parents migrated from Sri Lanka to the UK in the 1980s, said: ‘I am afraid I am going to mention immigration because, according to the latest YouGov poll, it is the number one issue – the number one issue – for ordinary British people, for voters across this country.

‘Of course, it is not the only issue, I couldn’t agree with you on that more.’

Mr Polanski then interrupted, explaining: ‘You’ve said the first bit, which is correct, that we don’t have enough prison spaces, NHS beds, we don’t have investment in our communities.

‘What immigrant has taken away those resources, as opposed to those resources being funded?

‘You can’t blame austerity on one hand but then say it’s the immigrants.

‘The immigrants haven’t caused austerity, the same Thatcherite policies that you and your party support, and the Conservatives, are what have caused the devastation in this country, and you should take responsibility for that.’

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