Steerpike

Senior Reform figure Zia Yusuf has been on quite the journey within the party. The businessman first came to prominence as party chairman after taking over from now-deputy Richard Tice MP, promising to professionalise the growing party. Then, three months ago to the day, Yusuf shocked party colleagues and members by announcing his resignation from the role, posting on X that: ‘I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.’ He returned less than 48 hours later, however, to take on an Elon Musk-style role as Reform UK's Head of DOGE. And now, during Nigel Farage's address to the conference, Yusuf has been announced as the party's Head of Policy. Alright for some!

On the eve of Reform’s annual conference, the party has dropped another bombshell. Former Tory culture secretary Nadine Dorries has defected to Reform UK – a move Nigel Farage has gushed he is ‘absolutely delighted’ about. In an explosive interview with the Daily Mail, Dorries has declared ‘the Tory party is dead’ – and advised party members to ‘now think the unthinkable and look to the future’.  Dorries’ defection follows the ex-cabinet minister’s three decades as a Conservative party member. As reported by the Mail, her talks with Farage did not involve a guaranteed place in a Reform government. Yet while the once-vociferous Boris Johnson ally is not currently a sitting MP, Dorries has not ruled out a return to the Commons.

It is a tough time for the Tories right now. Nigel Farage's grinning face appears to be everywhere, as the Conservatives desperately try to find fresh relevance in opposition. One idea that some senior figures within Conservative Campaign Headquarters have alighted upon in recent months is creating a new 'digital army'. The hope is that ever-online true-blue types will function in the same way that Reform's internet supporters do for Farage: amplifying the party's message and posting support for leader Kemi Badenoch. This evening saw the last salvo in this e-initiative. An email went out to the Tories' young guns, urging them to volunteer for instruction in the nation's capital.

Summer recess has only just ended but the government has not enjoyed a relaxed return to Westminster. After Reform UK controlled the narrative over the holidays, with its 'lawless Britain' campaign and immigration announcement last week, Labour is struggling to take back control of the agenda. On Monday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper made a statement to the Commons in which she laid out the government's plan to overhaul the asylum system. Now, she has turned to the issue of flag flying. The Raise the Colours campaign has seen parts of England fly St George's and Union flags, with a group called the Weoley Warriors claiming responsibility for showing 'the country how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements'.

As if it hadn't experienced enough splits over the last few weeks, it transpires that Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana's new party is divided over its policy on trans issues. 'Your Party' – not its official name, according to a fuming Sultana – is set to have six MPs, with four pro-Gaza independents to join the group. But while Sultana has insisted she will 'always' speak in support of trans people, one of these, Adnan Hussain MP, stated last week that trans women are 'not biologically women'. Talk about trouble in paradise, eh? Hussain is currently a member of the Independent Alliance of MPs, alongside Corbyn and Sultana. Once the new group holds its first conference this autumn, the Alliance will join the party.

If there are two things Angela Rayner can’t stand, it’s Tories (previously labelled scum) and tax avoiders. So Tories avoiding tax, that really gets her riled up. Back in 2017, Rayner tweeted: '@jeremycorbyn correct to raise tax dodging issue, the public are furious with those who get away with tax avoidance while they pay! #pmqs' Similarly, in the same year, Rayner tweeted: HMRC staff cut as corporate/super rich tax dodgers not challenged, PM does not have the answers, tax avoidance damaging our country #pmqs  These tweets are now coming under scrutiny in light of today’s claims that Rayner has 'dodged' tax herself.

The House of Commons returns next week – and not a moment too soon for some in government. After a summer in which Nigel Farage has dominated the airwaves, Labour is keen to try and move the news agenda onto their preferred choice of subject. With rumours swirling about a reshuffle, No. 10 will be keen to try and promote some of the shiny new Starmtroopers elected last year. After 12 months of learning the ropes, many are keen to get their hands on a red box. But not all in parliament are happy with how proceedings are being conducted. In recent months, Mr S has heard cross-party grumblings about the House of Commons Table Office. The men and women who work here are tasked with ensuring parliamentary questions are in shape-shape order.

'Tory gain!' is a cry heard less and less frequently these days. But in a rare piece of good news for the current HM Opposition, Tory MP George Freeman has today been cleared of ‘Cash for Questions’ accusations by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. The former Science Minister referred himself to the watchdog back in June following reporting by the Sunday Times. Always good to try and get ahead of the story... The paper alleged that Freeman inquired to a company that paid him £5,000 per month as an advisor 'what to ask about' in Parliament and to 'help him get the wording right.' But the Standards Commissioner gave Freeman the all clear, concluding there were no grounds for a formal investigation. Result!

Power, said Henry Kissinger, is the ultimate aphrodisiac – but it also seems to improve your property prospects too. Angela Rayner is back in the headlines, having just purchased a new £800,000 property in Hove. She is under fire amid questions about her two residences: a grace and favour flat in Admiralty House and her constituency home in Ashton-under-Lyme. The Deputy Prime Minister has declared the latter to be her primary residence. This means that the council tax on her SW1 base is paid for by the British taxpayer to the tune of £2,034 a year. Worse still, the cost is set to rise to £4,068 due to a new premium on second homes, a policy she developed. As Sir Humphrey might opine, a ‘sub-optimal’ look to say the least... The political backlash so far has been mixed.