Alastair Campbell branded Reform UK "a bunch of conmen" during a heated BBC Question Time debate in Warwick, telling the party's home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf that its members are "being found out."
The exchange came during the first topic of the evening, which asked whether the government is delaying major tax and spending decisions until after the next general election. Campbell, appearing as a panellist alongside Yusuf, did not hold back in his criticism of the party.
Campbell's Brexit Claims
Addressing Yusuf directly, Campbell said: "I will say to Zia and to his friend Nigel that he talked about so lovingly there, Brexit has taken 6-8% out of our economy, if we had not left the chancellor today would have had £90 billion more to spend. He could have doubled the defense budget."
Fiona interjected: "That is a projection Alastair, no-one can be sure about that." Campbell continued: "They [Reform] can sit there. The people who gave us Brexit and they now want to give you another set of false promises. Do not fall for them because they are a bunch of conmen, they're being found out and it's one reason why Nigel Farage will never be Prime Minister of this country."
As Campbell wagged his finger while delivering the remarks, Yusuf sat across the panel with a smug expression on his face.
Yusuf's Response
Fiona took more audience questions before returning to Yusuf, who said: "I just want to address the comments about Brexit somehow being responsible for Britain's economic malaise, well Alastair let's look at the numbers... despite the fact that the promise of Brexit has been betrayed by a conga line of incompetent Tory prime ministers."
Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper interjected: "Some of whom are now part of Reform in very senior positions."
Yusuf went on to explain: "We can cut spending, we can do that without going back into the European Union, we need to secure our borders and stop sending money abroad. We can do all of those things without joining the European Union."
BBC Question Time returns next week live from Liverpool.
