A significant split has emerged within the Conservative Party after its chairman, Kevin Hollinrake, appeared to compare the Reform UK party's branding to a Nazi badge, leading to public disavowals from senior colleagues.
Senior Tories Distance Themselves from Controversial Jibe
Sir James Cleverly has publicly distanced himself from the remarks made by his frontbench colleague. When questioned about the comparison on Tuesday, the shadow housing secretary stated that while Mr Hollinrake was "trying to make a point," it was "not necessarily the way I would have made it."
The controversy ignited on Sunday evening when Reform UK leader Nigel Farage posted an image of a new black and gold party badge on social media platform X with the caption "coming soon." In response, Mr Hollinrake shared a link to the Wikipedia page for the Golden Party Badge, an award distributed to early members of Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party in the 1930s.
Defence and Condemnation from Within the Conservative Party
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from within Tory ranks. Former home secretary Suella Braverman was unequivocal in her condemnation, stating the comparison was "wrong, irresponsible and highly counter-productive." She added, "Kevin does not speak for me," and called for a higher level of political debate.
In contrast, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch defended Mr Hollinrake's post, describing it to the PA news agency on Monday as a "joke." She pointed to the recent sentencing of Nathan Gill, the former Reform leader in Wales, as evidence that Reform UK had "much bigger problems."
Gill was jailed for ten-and-a-half years last week after being found guilty of corruption charges, having accepted £40,000 to promote pro-Russian propaganda while serving as a Member of the European Parliament.
Political Fallout and Accusations of Smear Campaigns
Sir James Cleverly sought to reframe the criticism, arguing that it was legitimate to question the motivations of some elected Reform officials. He highlighted the Gill case, describing it as "something that is worth highlighting," while cautioning against criticising Reform voters whom the Conservatives need to win back.
Reform UK has signalled its intention to use the incident for political gain. The party's policy chief, Zia Yusuf, declared that the comparison would be featured "on leaflets and ad vans to the point of saturation," ensuring constituents know "the Tories think that if you support Reform, you're a Nazi."
This public row exposes the deepening tensions within the Conservative Party as it navigates its relationship with the rival party on its right flank, with significant implications for the upcoming political battle.
