The BBC's flagship political debate show, Question Time, erupted into a fiery exchange on October 9, 2025, as Reform UK's Zia Yusuf and Green Party leader Zack Polanski clashed over allegations of Russian influence, immigration, and the root causes of Britain's social challenges. The episode, filmed in Shrewsbury and hosted by Fiona Bruce, brought together a diverse panel that included Labour MP James Murray, Conservative MP Nigel Huddleston, and Telegraph columnist Annabel Denham. But it was the confrontations between Yusuf and Polanski that stole the spotlight, drawing loud reactions from an engaged audience and sparking a wider debate about the direction of British politics.
The evening's most contentious moment came when Polanski confronted Yusuf about Nathan Gill, the former Reform UK Welsh leader who had recently pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery. According to BBC and Metro, Gill admitted to accepting payments from Oleg Voloshyn, a figure previously described by the US government as a "pawn" of the Russian security services. In exchange, Gill made statements in the European Parliament and on television that favored Russian interests, including defending TV channels linked to Vladimir Putin ally Viktor Medvedchuk. Gill's sentencing is scheduled for next month, but the political fallout has already begun.
Polanski did not mince words as he pressed Yusuf on the party's links to Gill. "I want to ask Zia – if we're talking about people's past records, Nathan Gill, this is a man who was found guilty on bribery with the Russian state," Polanski charged on air. He went further, referencing a photograph of Nigel Farage, Reform UK's most prominent figure, standing with Gill. "So were you lying or was Nigel Farage lying?" Polanski demanded, alluding to Yusuf's previous public statements that neither he nor the senior leadership knew Gill.
Yusuf, clearly agitated, shot back: "I'm afraid if you want to use the word lie, let's be clear about something. You are lying. What I said is I have never met Nathan Gill." He added, "I took over as chairman in the summer of last year. I will tell you, I have never met Nathan Gill in my life." Yusuf maintained that most of Reform UK's senior leadership had little or no contact with Gill, emphasizing, "Nigel meets tens of thousands of people on an annual basis ultimately, he can't be held accountable for the actions of every single person who he comes in contact with."
The debate over Gill's conviction and Reform UK's response quickly became heated, with Polanski accusing Yusuf of "filibustering" and the audience audibly reacting. Host Fiona Bruce eventually intervened, noting, "Okay, you've made your point, but I think there's other things that the audience want to talk about, am I right?" Her attempt to steer the discussion elsewhere was met with agreement from several audience members, but the issue lingered in the air.
The seriousness of Gill's actions was underscored by Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command. Following Gill's guilty plea, Murphy stated, "Our investigation uncovered an elected MEP was taking payments to peddle narratives that would have had the effect of being beneficial towards Russian interests. This case goes to the heart of our democratic values and as we've shown here, we will not hesitate to investigate and disrupt anyone seeking to harm or undermine these values and our national security." (BBC)
Gill's political trajectory is notable: he served as UKIP Wales leader from 2014 to 2016 while Farage was national leader, and later led Reform UK Wales from March to May 2021, overseeing the party's Senedd election campaign. However, he has not been a member of Reform UK since 2021.
The Question Time panel also veered into the ever-contentious topic of immigration, with Yusuf asserting that, according to a recent YouGov poll, immigration is the "number one issue – the number one issue – for ordinary British people, for voters across this country." His remarks echoed Reform UK's longstanding position on immigration, but Polanski was quick to challenge what he called "anti-migrant rhetoric." (Metro, The Canary)
Polanski argued that social problems attributed to immigration were, in fact, the result of austerity and government policy. "The immigrants haven’t caused austerity. The same Thatcherite policies that you and your party support, and the Conservatives, are what have caused the devastation in this country," he insisted. Polanski continued, "There will be people who have problems with migration. But their problems are because they can’t get a dentist’s appointment, because there’s not enough council homes, because we’ve not invested in our communities. But none of these are problems of a black face. These are the problems of multi-millionaires and billionaires and the politicians who haven’t taxed them properly. We can change that. They’re all political choices."
The audience responded enthusiastically to Polanski's rebuttal, with applause and cheers echoing through the studio. When Yusuf attempted to return to polling data, Polanski interjected, "Do you ever think it's the number one problem because you spend a lot of time spreading misinformation and fear?" The crowd's reaction suggested that Polanski's message had struck a chord.
The debate extended to broader issues of integration and social cohesion, with Polanski questioning how communities could be expected to integrate when years of Conservative austerity had "shut our libraries, shut our community centres." He called for "different political choices" and a more positive discourse around migration. The panel's discussion also touched on topics such as wealth taxation—where Polanski dismissed claims that the super-rich would flee Britain if taxes increased—and the ongoing conflict in Gaza, where Polanski condemned Israel's actions as genocide and called for compassion across communities.
At one point, Yusuf challenged Polanski to extend his call for kindness and compassion to him personally, asking not to be labeled a fascist. Polanski replied bluntly, "But you absolutely are a fascist. You’re from a far-right party," citing Reform UK's policies and Farage's past alliances as justification.
Throughout the programme, audience reactions played a significant role, with gasps, applause, and even some restlessness as the debate unfolded. Fiona Bruce's efforts to keep the discussion moving highlighted the intensity of the exchanges and the passion the topics inspired among viewers.
With the Green Party hitting record highs in the polls, according to some outlets, Polanski's performance on Question Time has been widely noted for its clarity and compassion. His ability to challenge establishment narratives and connect with the audience has set the stage for further political debate in the run-up to the next election.
The episode ultimately served as a microcosm of the broader political battles shaping Britain today—where questions of integrity, influence, and national identity continue to collide on the public stage.
