Nigel Farage revealed that he spoke to Zia Yusuf and thought “he’s had enough” of politics the day before his resignation. Mr Yusuf quit as Reform UK’s chairman today following a row over one of the party’s MPs calling for a burka ban during PMQs.

Speaking on GB News tonight, Reform leader Mr Farage said: “I’m sad that he’s going, I’m sad for the party because he leaves a gap. I’m sad for him actually because I spoke to him yesterday morning and I felt that he’s really kind of had enough of all of this.”

“Then Sarah Pochin asks that question in the Commons, he then puts a slightly intemperate tweet out. I could tell reading that tweet, I just thought he’s not coming in tomorrow.

“So he disagreed, he thought Sarah shouldn’t have asked a question about the burka and there’s a debate around that, is it a main priority.

“I think public life has lost somebody very talented and somebody who’s come from within the ethnic minorities and is intensely patriotic about this country.”

Mr Yusuf’s decision follows a row in which he described a question by Reform MP Sarah Pochin to the Prime Minister on Wednesday calling for a ban on burkas in Britain as “dumb”.

Announcing his resignation this afternoon, he said: “Eleven months ago I became chairman of Reform. I’ve worked full time as a volunteer to take the party from 14 to 30%, quadrupled its membership and delivered historic electoral results.

“I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.”

He had earlier criticised Ms Pochin’s PMQs question which did not appear to be an official Reform policy

Asked about the question on social media, Mr Yusuf had said: “Nothing to do with me. Had no idea about the question nor that it wasn’t policy. Busy with other stuff.

“I do think it’s dumb for a party to ask the PM if they would do something the party itself wouldn’t do.”