REVEALED: THE CAMPAIGNER WHO SHOULD TERRIFY THE TORIES
(clue: it’s not Farage...)
Great political speeches come in many shapes and forms and can be memorable for all manner of reasons. I’m not sure Tony Blair’s farewell to the Commons in 2007, at the end of his last Prime Minister’s Questions, quite counts, but it stands out because it marked a huge moment in history. Theresa May’s cough fest at the Tory party conference in 2017 remains unforgettable for its pathos. I remember exactly where I was on both occasions: looking down from the Commons Press Gallery as Labour’s most successful premier drew a line under a decade in office with five simple words: “That is that, the end.” Ten years later, I stood in conference centre in Manchester, watching aghast as an embattled May hacked her way towards the end of her premiership.
Apart from Australian politician Julia Gillard’s astonishing take down of the patriarchy in a speech voted the most unforgettable moment in her country’s TV history, only one other speech stands out for me: Nigel Farage’s infamous “charisma of a damp rag/appearance of a low grade bank clerk; WHO ARE YOU?” outburst in the European Parliament in 2010. That went viral long before X was a thing, and is still jaw dropping in its audacity.
Two days ago, I watched as a young man stood in front of 5,000 people in Birmingham and gave a remarkable address that stands out from anything I have heard from any of the main party leaders for years.
Zia Yusuf isn’t a politician – at least not yet. He’s a highly successful young tech entrepreneur, whose VIP concierge app Velocity made a fortune. He’s created hundreds of jobs; paid millions in tax; and is still only in his thirties. He certainly doesn’t need politics – but following his speech to Reform UK’s sell-out rally in Birmingham on Sunday – I am certain that politics needs him.
Ladies and gentlemen, this guy is going to be a huge figure in British politics, assuming he sticks with it.
Nobody at Westminster had ever heard of Yusuf until a couple of weeks ago, when he decided to give Nigel Farage’s party a lump of money. The donation could not have come at a better time, not just because Reform UK is a start-up with next to nothing in the bank; but because it has come under relentless fire over the failure to root out racism from its fringes.
Some of the attacks are justified – there’s no doubt some bad elements have gravitated towards the party, drawn by its tough stance on immigration. As I’m sure everyone now knows. To the immense frustration of the party leadership, a handful have even wormed their way into positions as candidates. Other controversies have been outrageous smear operations orchestrated at the highest level by the party’s political and media opponents. Channel 4’s disgraceful hatchet job, starring a “racist” actor, marked the nadir.
There will be plenty of time after polling day for a post mortem on all this.
For now, what is heartening is that so many people who could have been frightened off by all the dirty tricks and manufactured “racism” rows are more determined than ever to see a new party of the Right succeed.
Among them is Yusuf, the son of Sri Lankan immigrants. His parents came to the UK in the 1980s to work in the NHS. His mother, now in her late 60s, still works shifts as an NHS nurse to this day. It is hard to imagine anyone with a better “back story” for a start up political party, but the party already has plenty of those.
I believe Yusuf is in a whole different league.
He is passionate about this country, itching to take on a metropolitan elite that seems ashamed of our history and heritage, and – in his own words - ready to challenge leaders who are unwilling and unable to stare our greatest challenges in the face and overcome them.
On Sunday afternoon, he delivered an immensely powerful speech, announcing his commitment to building a movement “based on courage and powered by love.”
As he put it:
“Love of British values; love of our heritage; love of our culture, love of our veterans and our war heroes; love of our family, love of our country”.
To rapturous applause, Yusuf declared:
“Change is coming”.
It was meant as a message of hope to the audience at the Birmingham NEC and some 300,000 other people watching the livestream.
But it is also a warning.
This guy means business.
If he were standing up there for the Tories or Labour party, I have no doubt that my colleagues in the media would be writing him up as a future prime minister.
Of course much will depend on the outcome of tomorrow’s election. To turn a revolt on the Right into a political revolution, Reform needs to win at least a few seats.
And then? If Yusuf is truly ready to throw himself into the cause, who knows how far he could go.
With someone of this calibre campaigning alongside Farage, what’s left of the Conservative party after Thursday should be very, very afraid.
He was certainly an inspiration, let’s hope he opts for a political role, Reform needs more talent to take the load.