Former Reform leader in Wales "ancient history", says party's head of policy
Nathan Gill was jailed after he was paid £40,000 to make pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament
Reform UK head of policy Zia Yusuf has said Nathan Gill, the former leader of the party in Wales, "is a guy which, far as we're concerned, is ancient history".
On Friday, Nathan Gill, 52, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years after he was paid £40,000 to make pro-Russian statements in the European Parliament.
Put to him on Sky News's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme that there are people who will ask why should they trust what Reform UK says about Russia "given that one of their people took money from Russians", Mr Yusuf said: "I think that would be an incredibly unreasonable position to take.
"Nathan Gill, what he did was treasonous. It was horrific. It was awful. He's now been dealt with by the authorities. He deserves the sentence that he's gotten.
"But as you've just said, this is a guy which, far as we're concerned, is ancient history.
"I've never met him. I'd never heard of him, actually, until I saw his name sadly in the newspapers.
"I think it is unreasonable to besmirch everybody else at Reform, the millions of people around the country who support Nigel and support our party."
Gill was first elected to the European Parliament in 2014 for the United Kingdom Independence Party (Ukip) and later represented the Brexit Party until the UK left the EU in 2020 following the Brexit referendum.