Zawahi racism claims against Farage resurface post-defection

Comments made by former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage resurfaced following the former's defection to Reform on Monday.

Zahawi, who is the latest defection from the Conservative Party to Farage's party, has previously accused Farage of making racist comments.

In a 2015 post on X made in response to an interview in which Farage said he would not keep laws banning employment discrimination on grounds of race or colour, Zahawi said: "I'm not British Born Mr @Nigel_Farage I am as British as u r. Yr comments r offensive&racist. I wld be frightened 2live in country run by U."

His tweet, however, was swiftly deleted following his announced defection, with users on X highlighting its existence.

The New Arab has reached out to Zahawi for comment on whether he stands by his remarks.

Farage, who was the leader of UKIP at the time, later said his comments were "wilfully misrepresented".

In another post tagging Farage on Twitter made in 2014, Zahawi said he had "been a Conservative all my life and will die a Conservative."

Meanwhile, in response to a tax scandal involving Zahawi, which saw him sacked as chancellor, Farage said, "I don't think farce can even sum it up. It's been obvious for a week that Zahawi would be fired and sure enough… it doesn't say much about Zahawi's affairs."

"I mean, hey, if you're chancellor of the exchequer and you have to pay money to the taxpayer. It's not a good look," he further said.

According to The Telegraph, in the weeks leading up to his defection to Reform, Zahawi had "begged" for a peerage from the Conservative Party, which the party said he was unable to get because of his tax scandal.

Zahawi is the most high-profile Conservative politician to defect to Reform, following sitting MP Danny Kruger and former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorris.