Boris Johnson was “one of the most damaging prime ministers in this country’s history”, according to the chair of Reform UK.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Political Thinking podcast, Zia Yusuf said Johnson would not be welcome in his party.
“History will judge Boris Johnson as one of the most damaging prime ministers in this country’s history,” he told the host, Nick Robinson.
The increase in net migration during Johnson’s premiership was “a total betrayal of everybody who voted for Brexit”, Yusuf said. “He took public spending close to Soviet Union spending. So there was nothing Conservative about him.”
However, Yusuf said the former home secretary Suella Braverman would be welcome in Reform UK. He said he had had several meetings with Braverman and that she had been “excommunicated” and made a “pariah” by the Conservatives.
Yusuf said the party could win “350 to 400 members of parliament” at the next general election after Reform topped a YouGov voter intention poll for the first time earlier this week.
Reform UK came top in the poll with 25% support, compared with Labour on 24% and the Tories with 21%. The next general election must be held before August 2029.
Reform returned five MPs in July’s election but came second in 98 constituencies.
The YouGov result was the latest in a series of polls that suggest Reform has pulled level with, and possibly overtaken, the Conservatives in public opinion.
Yusuf addressed concerns about Elon Musk providing a donation to Reform UK. The Reform leader, Nigel Farage, met Musk, the Tesla, X and SpaceX boss and Donald Trump ally, in December.
Yusuf told the podcast: “I can understand those concerns … We’re going to play by the rules.” He said the party was not a pressure group and was “here to win”.
Pushed on whether he would want Musk’s money, Yusuf said: “Who knows if he will or he won’t, but if he was to make a donation and it was within the rules and it helped us win, then why not?”
• This article was amended on 7 February 2025 to correct a misspelling of Zia Yusuf’s first name.
