A former Conservative advisor who defected to Reform UK has called on the party to take a stance on Russia and Ukraine. Tim Montgomerie, founder of Conservative Home and a Tory Party member for over three decades, defected to Farage’s party in December. However, he has now called on the Clacton MP to make his stance clear and break his silence on Trump and Ukraine. He joins Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham who have also criticised the party. Montgomerie said: “Reform’s silence on Trump and Ukraine must end and end urgently: Nigel Farage has invested a great deal in his relationship with Trump and on so many issues from immigration, tax, net zero and trans on the domestic front to a more hawkish approach to China and Iran on the global stage, there was good reason to do so.”But the last few days have changed everything. I had a lot of sympathy with candidate Trump’s ambition to end an incredibly deadly war which had begun to resemble WW1 in the scale of fatalities being incurred without any obvious conclusion to fighting in sight. “But Trump has moved well beyond that humanitarian goal. It’s clear he has chosen to ally himself with the blood-stained tyrant in the Kremlin rather than the invaded people of Ukraine and their grievous suffering. Trump’s dishonest attacks on Ukraine and Zelensky in recent days could have been written for him by Putin.”By joining other British political parties in disowning the US’ posture on Ukraine Farage and Reform may even provide the wake up call that the likes of Rubio, Vance, Thune and Johnson need to hear too.”Meanwhile, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham wrote on social media: “Normally you can’t escape Reform MPs gobbing off on here but interesting, isn’t it, how silent they are about their friend’s campaign to undermine President Zelensky and Ukraine. Just when you need them to use some influence to protect British interests, they don’t.”Sir Ed Davey added: “There’s a rumour that Nigel Farage is keeping his head down because he’s off to a Trump cheerleading conference over the weekend. “I’m afraid I’m being proved right- Farage is far more interested in Trump’s success than British security. He is a bootlicker and a plastic patriot.”Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe said: “Zelensky is not perfect, but he is not a dictator. Suspending elections, with the aim to hold a vote as soon as possible, during a war the Ukrainians did not start is fair. Trump’s right. The war cannot go on forever. We need a long-term settlement tolerable to all involved.”Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire and the party’s foreign affairs spokeswoman, said “Trump’s comments become more delusional and dangerous by the day. “It’s more vital than ever that the UK government speaks truth to power, stands up for British values and interests, and challenges Trump’s tsunami of disinformation.”
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