Nigel Farage’s chief advisor engaged in a heated dispute with the Green Party leader regarding a former Reform head involved in bribery with Russia. Zia Yusuf was challenged by Zack Polanski on BBC Question Time regarding Nathan Gill, the ex-leader of the party in Wales, who admitted to accepting bribes from Russia.
Reform has distanced itself from Gill, a former UKIP and Brexit Party MEP, who is awaiting sentencing next month for his bribery convictions. Polanski questioned Yusuf about Farage’s association with Gill, to which Yusuf defended that he had never met Gill personally.
Yusuf reiterated that Farage meets numerous individuals annually, and cannot be held accountable for everyone he encounters. The debate continued with Polanski pressing on the connection between Farage and Gill, while Yusuf emphasized that Gill’s position within Reform was during a period of low polling in Wales.
The discussion escalated with Polanski highlighting a photo of Farage and Gill together, to which Yusuf explained that there are countless people in such photos. The host eventually intervened to shift the conversation to other topics of interest.
Gill, a former UKIP and Brexit Party MEP, faced legal troubles for accepting bribes from a Russian individual tied to the country’s security services. He used his position to support TV channels linked to a Putin ally and was found guilty of promoting narratives in favor of Russian interests.
Gill’s case raised concerns about the influence of foreign interests on democratic values, prompting law enforcement to take action to safeguard national security and democratic principles.