Zia Yusuf sparked a furious antisemitism row with Tory Robert Jenrick yesterday (fri), after the Reform politician appeared to ‘like’ a social media post attacking Mr Jenrick’s Jewish wife.

A member of the former party chairman’s team liked a post from a far-right social media account which used antisemtic and racist terminology.

Following inquiries by the Express, Mr Yusuf posted a statement to X apologising explaining it had been accidental.

He said: “One of the team who post to my X account accidentally pressed like on an awful antisemitic tweet earlier today. I apologise for this.”

Mr Yusuf said a derogatory reference to “brown” people “is equally racist against me. Clearly it was not intentional.”

He added: “The amount of antisemitism and racism on this platform is spiralling out of control, and I hope that changes soon.”

However Mr Jenrick, the Tory MP for Newark, hit back and called for him to be ousted from the party, replying: “I call bulls**t. You’ve spent the last 48 hours calling me a ‘traitor’ for not drawing attention to a leaked spreadsheet with our special forces and MI6 officers’ names on.

“But we’re meant to believe this tweet attacking me as a traitor for having a Jewish wife & family was liked ‘accidentally’ by ‘one of the team.’ You must think we’re all thick.

“No. The mask has slipped. Likes are private. You thought nobody would ever know. Unfortunately for you, the racist account who posted the tweet and could see the likes exposed you. Reform should give you the boot.”

Mr Yusuf has come under increasing criticism for his social media behaviour, with former Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s husband Rael revealing he had quit the party this week “because I cannot be in a party ‘led’ by Zia Yusuf”.

Mr Yusuf had furiously attacked Ms Braverman for failing to reveal the Afghanistan data leak and secret resettlement scheme by using parliamentary privilege to circumvent the super-injunction.

Yesterday (fri) the former Reform chief, who now heads up the party’s waste-cutting ‘DOGE’ unit at local government level, was also forced to admit that his initiative is unlikely to lead to council tax cuts.

Mr Yusuf said council tax reductions are “not going to happen” due to the rising cost of social care, despite his efforts to cut unnecessary spending.

Reform UK was contacted for comment.

Concluding his reply with an emoji of a clown, he asked: “Come to think of it, who was Secretary of State for Housing?”

Mr Yusuf’s question was quickly answered by Mr Jenrick, who fanned the flames of the row by promoting his record at the Ministry of Housing.

He boasted: “I got housing starts to their highest level since 1987. I fought tooth and nail to cut migration and secured the biggest ever reduction.

“Did the last government do enough? No. That’s why I resigned. But enough about me. Why do your own colleagues call you Zia Useless?”

Reform UK referred the Express to Mr Yusuf’s response when contacted for comment.