BBC Question Time crowd gasp as Reform UK's Zia Yusuf branded 'typically rude' - The Mirror

One member of the crowd in Dover, Kent was heard shout "that's rude" when Zia Yusuf took a swipe at a man in the audience who merely asked a question about immigration

Members of the crowd on Question Time gasped as Zia Yusuf made a needless dig at a man in the audience last night.

The Reform UK politician was branded "typically rude" when he implied the man "hadn't paid attention" to his party's policies regarding immigration. The guest had merely asked for clarity about Reform's stance on whether or not migrant workers will lose their right to indefinite leave to remain, and so could be booted out of the nation after years of settlement and work.

But Mr Yusuf said his party has never claimed migrant workers will lose this. He then said: "So if you had paid attention to what we were announcing, you would not have that view." At this point, audience members were heard taking sharp intakes of breath and gasping. One person was heard shouting: "That's rude".

Yet, the politician nonchalantly continued his waffle despite the shocked reactions in Dover, Kent. Fellow penalist, Zack Polanski, who is Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, cut in to describe the behaviour as "typically rude".

Mr Yusuf's colleague, Nigel Farage, had already faced scrutiny on the programme last night as he was criticised over championing Brexit. Mr Yusuf, though, dug Reform's hole deeper with the discourteous jibe, to which fellow panelist Mike Tapp also took exception.

After Mr Yusuf's clarity, Mr Tapp, Labour MP for Dover and Deal, said: "What I love about my constituency is even people who disagree with me are very polite and that should be afforded by you too, Zia. Be polite to these lovely people." The audience applauded Mr Tapp, a former soldier and the man who asked the question smiled warmly.

He had said he started working for the NHS in 1974 and his team has relied on staff from overseas in the decades since then. He argued the care sector has also benefited from staff who have moved to the UK in this period too. He suggested he was concerned these parts of the workforce will have to leave the UK under Reform UK's plans — and the health and social care sectors will suffer as a result.

But Mr Yusuf, who defected from the Tories to Reform, replied: "No, it is not at all (what Reform is suggesting). So if you had paid attention to what we were announcing, you would not have that view... My mother is a care home worker and has worked in care homes for years. We have announced we would have an acute skilled shortage visa specifically for sectors like the care home sector. I know the care home sector well because my mother has worked in it for years, and I know how hard those people work."