Ed Balls questioned Reform UK chairman, Ria Yusuf and it ended in fireworks.
On Monday, Yusuf joined Balls and co-host Ranvir Singh on the breakfast-time show to discuss Reform UK’s landmark victories in last week’s council races and by-elections.
However, this graph says a lot about Reform’s performance.
Andrew Tate
Ed Balls challenges Zia Yusuf about whether Reform UK would push social media platforms to remove Andrew Tate after Mr Yusuf said young people need ‘moral re-education’.
“What do you think about the impact that Andrew Tate is having on the moral well-being of young men in Britain?” Balls put to the Reform UK chairman after Yusuf had previously called for a “model re-education”.
Yusuf replied: “I think that what has often happened is people look at essentially a symptom of something that is much larger. Reform is polling at roughly one in five young people, and that skews slightly at 60-40 men to women, and young men in this country feel utterly betrayed.”
“The thing is, you keep avoiding answering the question,” Balls interrupted once more. “The thing is that if Reform wants to be in government, you’ve got to answer questions. The question is, would you want the social media companies to take action against the influencer Andrew Tate or not?”
Yusuf replied: “I think for the government to be imposing rules on social media around moderation, we’ve got to be very careful about that, because freedom of speech has been under assault in this country.”
“So the answer is no,” Balls interjected. “You are happy for Andrew Tate to say these things online.”
“I think the government should be doing a lot more to protect free speech, and by the way, everyone watching this programme when they hear those comments flinch. I think, like everyone at Reform thinks, it is better that you let people speak, and you are able to identify people with whom you disagree who are saying abhorrent things,” Yusuf shot back.
“What has happened historically is freedom of speech has been suppressed, that has created a huge amount of resentment, and going back to our young people in education… this notion that we do what you’re suggesting…
“I’m not going to make policy on social media in real time, with respect, but I will say that let’s say we ban Andrew Tate, you think somebody else isn’t going to pop up and say things like that?”
Tristan Tate
In response, Andrew Tate’s brother wrote: “Hello @edballs you are lying. The comment you referenced was Andrew’s reply to “what would you do if your girlfriend tried to attack and kill you with a machete” and it was a fair answer in jest you’ve taken out of context and lied about on your show. Apologise you fat sack of lard. Well done to @ZiaYusufUK for not letting them deflect all the countries problems onto Andrew and handling himself like a man.”
Tate court case
Andrew Tate faces a 2027 trial in four women’s civil lawsuits for alleged physical and sexual abuse, in a case their lawyers say is the first of its kind in Britain about allegations of coercive control.
The four claimants, who have been granted anonymity, allege Tate subjected them to physical or sexual violence between 2013 and 2015. Two say they were in an intimate relationship with Tate, while two worked for Tate’s online webcam business.
Flags
Zia Yusuf wrote on X: “Reform controlled English councils will move at speed to resolve that the *only* flags permitted to be flown on or in its buildings will be the Union Jack and the St George’s flag. No other flags will be permitted to be flown on its flag-poles, balconies, reception desks or council-chamber walls.”
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