Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf has launched a blistering attack on Labour MPs, accusing them of “prioritising those who hate Britain” after several signed an Early Day Motion opposing the deportation of Egyptian-British prisoner Hisham Kassem. The furious broadside has rattled Westminster and intensified public outrage over the controversial case.

Kassem, a dual-national activist and journalist, was jailed in Egypt in 2023 for defamation and insulting public officials. Released in November 2025 after serving his sentence, he immediately faced a UK Home Office deportation order on national security grounds, with ministers citing his past associations with extremist groups and alleged anti-Western rhetoric.

The Early Day Motion, tabled by Labour backbencher Zarah Sultana and signed by 15 MPs including John McDonnell, Diane Abbott, and Nadia Whittome, urged the government to “respect Kassem’s British citizenship” and block extradition, arguing his Egyptian conviction was politically motivated. The motion praised Kassem as a “pro-democracy campaigner” persecuted by an authoritarian regime.

Yusuf seized on the motion in a fiery speech at a Reform UK rally in Birmingham on December 29, declaring: “Labour MPs are prioritising those who hate Britain over the safety of our citizens. This man has links to extremists, yet they want him back on our streets. It’s disgraceful.”

The remarks went viral, amassing millions of views on social media and triggering a wave of public fury. Conservative MPs and right-leaning commentators echoed Yusuf, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper facing calls to explain the government’s stance. “Why are Labour MPs defending someone the Home Office deems a security risk?” asked Tory shadow minister Tom Tugendhat.

Critics of the motion argue Kassem’s past statements — including alleged praise for certain Islamist figures and criticism of UK foreign policy — justify deportation concerns. Supporters, including Amnesty International, maintain his Egyptian trial lacked due process and that revoking his British citizenship would violate human rights.

The case has exposed deep divisions within Labour. While the signatories represent the party’s left wing, moderates have distanced themselves, with one frontbencher anonymously telling the BBC: “This motion is tone-deaf at a time when the public demands tougher action on security.”

Yusuf, a tech entrepreneur who became Reform UK’s first Muslim chairman in 2025, has capitalised on the row to bolster the party’s law-and-order credentials. “The British people are sick of elites putting foreign extremists ahead of our safety,” he told supporters. “Reform will always put Britain first.”

As pressure explodes, the Home Office confirmed the deportation process is ongoing, with Kassem currently detained pending appeal. Westminster remains rattled, with the accusation hitting hard amid broader debates on immigration, citizenship, and national security.

For a government already navigating post-election challenges, the Kassem case has become an unwelcome flashpoint — proving once again that immigration and extremism remain explosive issues capable of igniting fierce political firestorms.