Controversial former Tory chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has defected to Reform UK after apparently unsuccessfully “begging” to be nominated for a peerage.
The former ally of Boris Johnson has become the highest-profile politician yet to ditch the Conservatives for Nigel Farage’s party – but question marks are being raised about the motivations of a man who was sacked as a minister for breaching the ministerial code in relation to his tax affairs.
In a video message announcing his defection, the former MP, who served in various ministerial positions under Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, claimed that Britain is “drinking at the last chance saloon” and “really does need Nigel Farage as prime minister”.
He added: “I’ve made up my mind that the team that will deliver for this nation will be the team that Nigel will put together, and that’s why I’ve decided that I’m joining Reform UK.”
Tory sources claimed that the former cabinet minister only jumped ship after his request for a peerage was rejected by Kemi Badenoch. A senior source told The Independent that Mr Zahawi “was begging Kemi for a peerage and she said no before he ratted”.
The claim has echoes of Nadine Dorries’ defection after her nomination for a peerage by Boris Johnson was blocked during Rishi Sunak’s time as prime minister.
But the move will still be a huge blow to the current Tory leader, who had hoped that she was improving her party’s fortunes after a dismal year in the polls. In a More in Common poll published last week, Reform were on 31 per cent – eight points ahead of the Tories, who were on 23 per cent.
Ms Badenoch’s office hit back in response to Mr Zahawi’s defection, with a Conservative spokesperson saying: “Reform is fast becoming the party of has-been politicians looking for their next gravy train. Their latest recruit used to say he’d be ‘frightened to live in a country’ run by Nigel Farage, which shows the level of loyalty for sale.
“Reform want higher welfare spending and higher taxes. They are a one-man band with no plan for our country. Under Kemi Badenoch, the Conservatives are demonstrating we have the plan, the competence and the team to get Britain working again.”
Mr Farage insisted the ex-Tory big beast’s move to his party would help to dispel suggestions that Reform UK is a “one-man band”. A leading Brexiteer, Mr Zahawi is the latest in a long line of former allies of Mr Johnson to defect to Reform. Former culture secretary Ms Dorries, former chair Sir Jake Berry, former education minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns and former Brexit minister David Jones have all made the move.
Mr Zahawi was sacked as Conservative Party chair in 2023 after he was found to have breached the ministerial code in relation to his tax affairs. It followed an investigation that was first revealed in July 2022 by The Independent, which reported that HMRC officials were examining Mr Zahawi’s financial affairs following an inquiry that had been launched by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in 2020.
Mr Zahawi later confirmed he had paid a penalty of almost £5m to HMRC in order to settle the matter.
Speaking on Monday, Mr Zahawi said that his past tax issues “should not preclude [him] from doing the right thing” and rejoining the political fray. Mr Farage, meanwhile, noted that Mr Zahawi “could have gone abroad and not paid any tax”.
Mr Zahawi, 58, who was born in Iraq, once attacked Mr Farage over his anti-foreigner rhetoric, but he insisted at Monday’s press conference that the tweet was 11 years old, saying: “If I thought this man in any way had an issue with people of my colour and background, I wouldn’t be sitting next to him.” He added: “I wouldn’t be sitting here if I didn’t think Nigel Farage [could] be prime minister.”
Mr Zahawi said he had been impressed by the Reform UK observing him with international leaders “pushing back when it is necessary, none of the sycophancy we have seen with the current prime minister.”
At the press conference on Monday, Mr Zahawi and Mr Farage also rejected answering questions about a speech by Dr Aseem Malhotra at the Reform conference in which he promoted the conspiracy theory that Covid-19 vaccines were a “significant factor” in the cancer diagnosed in King Charles. Previously, Reform chair Dr David Bull had said Dr Malhotra had helped him write Reform’s health policy.
Mr Farage insisted he believed in “free speech” and the views were not party policy while a prickly Mr Zahawi described the question on the issue by one journalist as “stupid”.
Mr Zahawi was a leading contender to take over after Mr Johnson quit as leader in 2022 but his campaign fell apart in a race which was eventually won by Liz Truss.
He also led the Conservative government’s vaccine programme in the early days of the pandemic, something which Mr Farage was highly critical of at the time.
In 2023, Mr Farage posted a video on Mr Zahawi’s resignation saying: “It has been obvious for a week that Zahawi would have to go. Sunak is a follower not a leader.”
But the Reform UK leader insisted at the press conference: “I have always been a fan of [Mr Zahawi].”
He said that his time as vaccines minister “proves this bloke gets things done.”
The Independent has approached Reform UK for a response to claims that Mr Zahawi had been rejected for a peerage by Ms Badenoch.
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