This was clearly a joke between two good friends, who had previously been business partners for several years.

Stephan continues to be one of my closest friends and at no point since leaving YouGov in 2010 have I had any influence on the company. Suggesting otherwise is untrue. https://t.co/P25sh0fCNN

— Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) June 8, 2022