Nigel Farage‘s Reform Party has withdrawn the whip from Rupert Lowe, one of its five Members of Parliament (MPs), following allegations of “workplace bullying” and “threats of physical violence” against the party chairman, Zia Yusuf, resulting in a referral to the police. Lowe has strenuously denied the allegations.
A statement from Reform signed by Yusuf and former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson MP, who defected to Reform in 2024, says two female staffers have made complaints against Lowe. They allege “derogatory and discriminatory remarks made about women, including reference to a perceived disability.” The statement also alleges Lowe has not cooperated with a King’s Counsel (KC) hired to investigate the complaints.
Lowe, for his part, claims he has been cooperating with the KC and that she is “dismayed” by the statement. He added: “There is zero evidence of me making ‘derogatory’ or ‘discriminatory’ remarks about women or disabled people. Anyone who repeats that will be hearing from my libel lawyer—I include Reform in that.”
The 67-year-old has insinuated his suspension is retaliation for asking “reasonable and constructive questions of Nigel Farage and Reform’s leadership.”
Statement from Reform UK. pic.twitter.com/9J5gP1fVWF
— Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) March 7, 2025
Image taken by @Inc.Monocle.