Reform UK Chairman Zia Yusuf says Nigel Farage is asking “perfectly legitimate questions” and is not to blame for the riots gripping Britain.
The Reform leader and MP has been accused of “whipping up” rioters in Southport, where the first violent demonstration broke out, with the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox branding him “nothing better than Tommy Robinson in a suit”.
Speaking on GB News, Yusuf defended his party colleague and insisted Farage has been asking questions that need to be asked.
“I think the devastating scenes we have been seeing around the country are down to irresponsible politicians”, he said.
“It’s 14 years of Conservative rule. The population has exploded. They couldn’t possibly assimilate so many people. Almost two million in the last three years alone.
“These are staggering numbers over the last decade alone, and Nigel Farage stands up and says, ‘can we have a serious conversation about this please?’
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Sunderland was one of the cities hardest hit by the riotsGetty“Any time somebody tries to ask perfectly legitimate questions, hard working people in Britain are asking these questions, not only are they not listened to, they are insulted.
“Their lives are destroyed, they are dehumanised. This has been systematic.”
Scenes of bedlam have exploded on the streets of Britain after a crazed knife attack in Southport led to three young girls losing their lives.
17-year-old Axel Rudakubana has been named as the suspect charged with killing six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar.
Zia Yusuf joined Andrew Pierce and Bev Turner on GB News
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They were attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class aimed at children aged between primary school years two and six.
The riots began after the attack with groups of people hurling bricks at police and a local mosque in Southport.
Since then, protests have been held in London, Rotherham, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Bolton and Northern Ireland.
The rioters have made their anti-immigration stance clear by attacking hotels housing migrants.
More than 140 people have been arrested nationwide so far and in Middlesbrough alone, officers arrested 43 people.