Nigel Farage Accuses Tory MP of Harking Back as Nadhim Zahawi Joins Reform UK

Nadhim Zahawi, the former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, officially joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK on 12 January 2026, triggering sharp rebuke from a Tory MP. Farage, who heads the party that split from the Conservatives in 2023, said the ex‑Chancellor’s move was "drinking at the last‑chance saloon". The Tory MP described Zahawi’s defection as a "wrong decision" and accused Farage of "harking back to a bygone era". The move sees Zahawi leaving the House of Commons seat of Loughborough, with the MP expected to contest it as a Reform UK candidate. Politicians fear the split will further divide the right‑wing vote ahead of the 2027 general election, with Reform UK now holding only five seats.