The awkward moment Reform UK’s new MP called Richard Tice a ‘pound-shop Nigel Farage’

It hasn’t always been plain sailing between Lee Anderson and Reform UK leader Richard Tice despite the two joining forces today.

Speaking the day after Reform unveiled Ben Habib as its candidate for the forthcoming Wellingborough by-election, Mr Anderson, described the millionaire businessman as a “pound shop Farage” and “Reform’s answer to Diane Abbott” in a withering assessment.

Mr Tice responded by suggesting Mr Anderson, the former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, was “jealous” and referring to him as “30p Lee”.

Speaking on GB News, on which he is a presenter, in January, Mr Anderson said: “Mr Tice is the leader of the Reform Party and as I understand is unelected. He actually took the reins of the Reform Party after Nigel stepped down.”

Apparently indignant that Mr Tice had one day earlier suggested Mr Anderson was worried Reform UK would “put him out a job”, the 57-year-old MP for Ashfield added: “This is not a proper political party, by the way, this is a company. Mr Tice’s spouted his mouth off and he’s had a little pop at me today.

“I get on with Richard reasonably well, but I would say this: he’s not Nigel Farage, he’s not the leader that Nigel Farage was.

“In fact, I agree with one of my constituents, who said to me earlier today he is a bit of a pound shop Nigel Farage.

“I think he needs to pipe down a little bit because if the unthinkable happens and next year, we do get a Labour Government and Richard Tice is on his media platforms, saying what a disaster Starmergeddon and what a disaster the Labour Party are, I shall be reminding Mr Tice it was him that helped them get elected.

“I’m not interested in what Mr Tice has got to say.

“It’s alright for the likes of Mr Tice; he’s got a bob or two, he’s probably a millionaire. He can go back to his little penthouse overlooking the Thames.

“If Labour does win the election, he can shut his curtains and get on with his life.”

He added: “He’s just saying ridiculous things. I mean, in one breath, he was saying just a few weeks ago, that I had not been approached by Reform to walk the floor and just a week later, I think his deputy had to correct that comment to say that there was a conversation that actually took place.

“So like I say, he is no Nigel Farage, I think Nigel Farage would have got the communications a little bit better.

“Hardly anybody in Ashfield has actually heard of Richard Tice, and he hasn’t got that connection.”

In response, Mr Tice told Express.co.uk: “I like Lee, he wears his heart on his sleeve and his comments suggest he is very worried about Reform.

“Is he jealous that I am a pound shop when he is just 30p Lee?”

Mr Farage himself – who is Reform UK’s honorary president, but who is not yet officially back in the political ring, urged Mr Anderson to jump ship last month.

He told Express.co.uk’s David Maddox: “Lee Anderson should join Reform UK.”