The Tories on Saturday redoubled their attack on 'racism' in Reform UK after a close ally of leader Nigel Farage described Kemi Badenoch as a 'Nigerian scammer'.
asserted
ally → redouble → scammer
Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake accused Raheem Kassam, a long-standing adviser to Mr Farage, of 'launching racist slurs' against the Tory leader.
asserted
Hollinrake → accuse → leader
In one post on X, Mr Kassam wrote: 'How are people still falling for this Nigerian scammer?
asserted
people → write → scammer
In others he said: 'So Kemi, tell us the truth.
asserted
he → say → truth
Are you a walking gaffe or an illegal immigrant?' and pointedly used her full name – Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch.
asserted
you → walk → name
The Tories called on Mr Farage to 'come clean' about Mr Kassam's precise role in the party.
asserted
Tories → call → party
He has been close to Mr Farage for more than a decade, serving as his chief of staff when he was Ukip leader.
asserted
he → serve → staff
Although Mr Kassam was in Reform's London HQ as recently as last week, the party denies that he has any formal role.
asserted
he → deny → role
The posts from Mr Kassam – who once described himself as a 'one-man human shield' for Mr Farage and said he would take him to steam rooms to stop him sweating in public – have come amid accusations Reform is pursuing a so-called 'ethno-nationalist' strategy, with MPs claiming only those who are white can be truly English.
asserted
who → describe → strategy
Mrs Badenoch has seen a surge in support since she used her speech to the Tory conference this month to attack Reform MPs who have parroted this line.
asserted
who → see → line
Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake accused Raheem Kassam (pictured right), a long-standing adviser to Mr Farage, of 'launching racist slurs' against the Tory leader
The Tories called on Mr Farage to 'come clean' about Mr Kassam's precise role in the party after the tweets were posted
It comes after a week in which Reform were dogged with questions about their candidate-vetting processes after an undercover sting by ITV found multiple councillors and candidates expressing racist views and using offensive language.
asserted
councillors → accuse → language
A Reform spokesman insisted: 'There is no room for racism in Reform UK.'
asserted
spokesman → insist → UK
Mr Hollinrake told The Mail on Sunday: 'It's time for Mr Farage to come clean about precisely what role Raheem Kassam has within Reform.
asserted
Kassam → tell → Reform
Does he have a paid position?
asserted
he → have → position
Is he acting as an informal advisor?
asserted
he → act → advisor
What influence does he have over Reform's communications and wider political strategy?
asserted
he → have → communications
'Reform say there is no room for racism inside their party.
asserted
Reform → say → party
How does that square with the fact Mr Kassam still seems to retain close ties to Mr Farage, while simultaneously launching racist slurs against the Leader of the Opposition?'
asserted
Kassam → square → Opposition
Mr Kassam denied wrongdoing and accused Mr Hollinrake of 'hurling woke, Leftist terms', saying: 'I'm Indian, but I don't think it is racist to call me Indian.
asserted
it → deny → me
In addition, a friend of Mr Kassam claimed that a delegation of Tory MPs had recently visited the restaurant which Mr Kassam runs in Washington DC and asked him to work with them.
asserted
Kassam → claim → them
The friend said: 'He has only been over from Washington for a few weeks and the Tories are already panicking, which is sort of flattering.
asserted
which → say → weeks
But he has no intention of staying in London long term.'
asserted
he → have → London
A Reform insider said: 'Raheem's worked with people on the political Right on and off for over a decade, including the Conservative Party.
asserted
Raheem → say → Party
The Tories on Saturday redoubled their attack on 'racism' in Reform UK after a close ally of leader Nigel Farage described Kemi Badenoch (pictured) as a 'Nigerian scammer'
asserted
ally → redouble → scammer
Tory MPs dined at his restaurant in Washington last year and asked him to come back and work with them.
asserted
MPs → din → them
They're obviously attacking him now because he refused.'
asserted
he → attack → him
A Tory source strenuously denied the claim.
uncertain
source → deny → claim
Mr Kassam has sent a flurry of messages in recent weeks on X, including one containing footage of Mrs Badenoch speaking at her father's memorial in 2022.
asserted
Badenoch → send → 2022
He wrote: 'When Kemi Badenoch speaks to other Nigerians, she turns off her fake English accent.
'
asserted
she → write → accent
She also tells them that she loves Nigeria just as much as England.
asserted
she → tell → England
And what's all this about saying Islamic prayers in Nigeria?
asserted
this → say → Nigeria
She is running to be PM while stating equal allegiance to another country???
asserted
She → run → country
How are people still falling for this Nigerian scammer?
asserted
people → fall → scammer
Earlier this month, he criticised the version of the Bayeux Tapestry the Tories mocked up for their party conference, spoofing Labour figures such as Andy Burnham, John Healey and Sir Keir Starmer.
asserted
Tories → criticise → Burnham
Mr Kassam complained that their version of the embroidery, originally depicting events from 1064 onwards, 'includes their Nigerian leader, Olukemi Badenoch.
asserted
version → complain → leader
Mrs Badenoch's approval ratings shot up when voters were shown clips of her saying she didn't want to live in a nation run by people who 'debate whether my mixed-race children are English' – including a leap from 40 per cent to 57 per cent among Reform voters.
asserted
children → shoot → voters
Mr Farage has warned his colleagues to stop drawing lines around Englishness, 'exchanging words' with Suella Braverman after she suggested she could not be considered English because her parents were born abroad.
uncertain
parents → warn → Braverman
The Aporia
