Nigel Farage slaps down Reform ally Zia Yusuf for calling ex Defence Secretary a ‘traitor’ to Britain

NIGEL Farage today slapped down Zia Yusuf for branding ex-Tory Defence Secretary Ben Wallace a “traitor” to Britain. The Reform leader said he would give his home affairs spokesman a “ticking off” over the outburst. Nigel Farage has today slapped down Zia Yusuf for calling Ben Wallace a traitor Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Ben Wallace has demanded an apology from the Reform home affairs spokesman Credit: PA Mr Yusuf had also suggested that Mr Wallace, who served in the Scots Guard and fought in Northern Ireland, should be prosecuted for his role in the Afghan airlift scandal. But in a rare rebuke for the “traitor” comment, Mr Farage told The Sun: “That’s too strong a word. I shall give him a ticking off.” Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! Pressed whether his ally should delete the social media post, the party chief added: “I’ll speak to him today. But yeah, it’s over the top.” A row erupted between Mr Yusuf and Mr Wallace online yesterday after the former Tory Cabinet Minister criticised Reform’s new prisons plan. Mr Yusuf, who spearheaded the policy, lashed out in response by accusing the ex-Defence Secretary of secretly flying in Afghan migrants to Britain. He said: “That’s why I call you a traitor to Britain. You fit the dictionary definition.” Mr Wallace today said he was “saddened” by the onslaught and demanded an apology from the Reform attack dog. He said: “Traitor is a very loaded word. Traditionally, treason and traitor comes with a death sentence, historically.” Most read in The Sun During Mr Wallace’s tenure in the MoD thousands of Afghans were secretly brought to the UK following a data leak that could have put them in danger of being killed by the Taliban. Mr Yusuf has previously defended calling rival politicians “traitors” despite highlighting the threats faced by politicians. Comment now