Lawyer contradicts MP Rupert Lowe’s defence as police probe violent threats and Reform UK implodes

Reform UK’s internal chaos has reached boiling point as suspended MP Rupert Lowe clashes with the party over allegations of violent threats and bullying. The row, already damaging, has escalated after the lawyer appointed to investigate the claims publicly contradicted Lowe’s account.

Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, was suspended from Reform UK and referred to the police following accusations that he made threats against the party’s chairman. The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are “assessing an allegation of verbal threats,” while a separate inquiry examines claims of bullying within Lowe’s office.

Lowe fiercely denies everything, calling the accusations a “political assassination” orchestrated to silence him for questioning Nigel Farage’s leadership. The controversy erupted after Lowe, in a damning interview with the Daily Mail, described Reform UK under Farage as a “protest party led by the Messiah.”

In an unexpected twist, the King’s Counsel (KC) hired to investigate the claims has refuted statements Lowe attributed to her. The lawyer, whose name has not been disclosed, issued a rare public statement correcting what she described as misleading claims from the MP.

“I have seen a number of statements made by Mr Lowe MP which are attributed to me and which describe my reactions to the process conducted by the party into the allegations,” she said.

“I find myself in the unfortunate and regrettable position of having to make this statement to correct the record.”

She went further, denying that she had expressed “dismay” or “shock” at the party’s handling of the allegations. “Nor have I said ‘there is zero credible evidence against Mr Lowe,’ let alone said this ‘repeatedly,’” she added.

This directly contradicts Lowe’s claim that the lawyer was appalled by the lack of evidence against him. On Friday, he publicly insisted that she had been “shocked at the process” and that no evidence had been provided to her.

Lowe responded furiously to the lawyer’s remarks, doubling down on his assertion that the accusations against him are baseless.

“Ever since this malicious attack on my reputation was launched, all I have asked for from both Reform and the KC is credible evidence against me. None has been provided. It still hasn’t,” he declared.

He accused the party of outright lying, particularly over claims that he had failed to co-operate with the investigation. “I have been in discussions with my legal team this afternoon, and this will be followed by legal action in due course,” Lowe warned.

“I will not have my name dragged through the mud as part of a political assassination because I dared to question Nigel Farage. You have to stand up to bullies, and I am doing exactly that.”

According to Lowe, the lawyer privately advised him that the party acted too quickly in making public statements before the investigation had properly begun. However, she has not confirmed or denied this claim.

With the scandal escalating, former Tory minister and Reform UK spokeswoman Ann Widdecombe admitted the row was “temporarily damaging” but insisted it would not have long-term consequences.

“The fact is all parties have these eruptions from time to time,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour. “But while the investigations are under way, I think we should simply wait until they report, and then we will know where we are.”

However, with a sitting MP now at war with his former party, police investigating alleged threats, and Reform’s lawyer forced to correct misinformation, the damage may already be done. What started as internal party infighting has exploded into a public scandal that threatens to engulf Reform UK—and Nigel Farage himself.

THE GUARDIAN

Nigel Farage’s leadership of Reform UK is under intense scrutiny after MP Rupert Lowe was expelled over allegations of bullying and verbal threats. The party claims evidence supports the accusations, but Lowe denies them, calling the claims “a lie.” Critics, including former deputy leader Ben Habib, argue the charges are politically motivated and reflect a lack of internal accountability.

Reform UK members are reportedly “buzzing with horror” over the fallout, with some accusing Farage of running a protest party rather than a serious political force. Tensions escalated after Elon Musk praised Lowe, fuelling speculation of a leadership rift. Former Reform insiders warn that Farage risks alienating allies, jeopardising the party’s future.

Despite the chaos, supporters insist Reform UK would be nothing without Farage’s leadership. Lowe has invited Farage to dinner to resolve the dispute, but the party remains deeply divided over its direction.

SKY NEWS

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has defended the suspension of MP Rupert Lowe, insisting it was the “right judgement” after allegations of bullying and threats. The party reported Lowe to police following complaints from two female staff members and an alleged altercation with chairman Zia Yusuf.

Critics question the timing, as the suspension followed Lowe’s challenge to Nigel Farage’s leadership. Lowe denies all accusations, claiming he was targeted for his hardline stance on deportations. Tice dismissed claims of political motivation, saying tensions had reached breaking point.

Farage wrote in The Telegraph that the party had tried to manage the issue but containment had failed. With Reform UK already facing internal discord, this latest controversy raises further doubts about its leadership and stability. Lowe, meanwhile, has invited Farage to dinner in an attempt to defuse tensions.