Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Image: Getty)
The bitter war of words between Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and his former colleague Rupert Lowe continued today as Mr Lowe claimed to have evidence an inquiry accusing him of harassment was flawed. Mr Lowe accused Reform of behaving “in a hideously unprofessional and malicious manner” and insisted: “Nigel Farage must never be Prime Minister.”
The Great Yarmouth MP was one of five Reform MPs elected in 2024 but now sits in Parliament as an independent. Reform last month published a report by a senior barrister which found “credible evidence of unlawful harassment of two women” by Mr Lowe and “male members of his team” - but Mr Lowe has now published his own report, also conducted by a senior barrister, which criticised the Reform investigation.
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The review by Gemma White KC, commissioned by Mr Lowe, found the Reform investigation “was not set up in the way I would have expected an independent investigation of this nature to be set up”. There were no terms of reference and the investigator did not appear to have “current expertise in conducting independent investigations into allegations of bullying and harassment,” said Ms White.
The review also found the investigation was unfair to Mr Lowe, because he was given a deadline to respond to the allegations against him but “the KC completed the investigation report and provided it to the party before the expiry of the deadline she had set for Mr Lowe to respond”.
Ms White said there were “real questions as to the extent to which the KC conducted the investigation independently of the influence of the Party.”
Mr Lowe has published the findings alongside a furious statement. He said: “I welcome the conclusions of this independent review. It confirms what I have said throughout - that the process was fundamentally flawed, unfair, and influenced by political motivations.
“In sixty-seven years, I have never seen such vile and unprofessional behaviour. Including, but not limited to, publicly shaming my staff without even giving them the opportunity to respond to the false and damaging allegations."
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Mr Lowe said: “Reform has proven itself not only unfit to govern but unfit to sit in the House of Commons. To handle such a basic process in a hideously unprofessional and malicious manner is simply unacceptable.
“This report has been sent to the relevant Parliamentary authorities, and my own legal teams.
“I asked reasonable questions of Farage, after months of pushing behind the scenes. My punishment for bruising his ego? A concerted smear campaign to ruin my name and reputation.”
Reform UK was invited to provide a comment.
