Reform UK bans local branches from organising events on WhatsApp – The Times

Reform UK has banned its local branches from organising political events on WhatsApp after fears of infiltration from the far right. Rules handed down to local affiliates last month, seen by The Times, will force branch officers to sign non-disclosure agreements and prevent them from opening their own bank accounts. It hands sweeping powers to the national party to override the rules and suspend members. Sources familiar with the rules said the strict approach was needed to prevent potential entryism from the far right. The branch rules were initially published in December under Zia Yusuf, then party chairman, who had been brought in to professionalise the party’s operation. However, a tightened version, including the restrictions on social media use, was published last month. It added that branch officers “are not permitted to use social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, etc, to communicate party and branch operations and activities to members and/or supporters”. Communications should instead be limited to email and to branch meetings, it said. Zia Yusuf, the former chairman of Reform UK TOLGA AKMEN/EPA Despite the apparent ban on Facebook, there appear to be dozens of groups for local Reform branches actively operating on the platform. The
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