KC has found evidence of unlawful harassment by Lowe – Reform UK

An independent KC has found “credible evidence of unlawful harassment of two women” by MP Rupert Lowe and “male members of his team”, Reform UK said.

The party said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon that an “independent King’s Counsel has found there to be credible evidence of unlawful harassment of two women by both Mr Lowe and male members of his team”.

The Great Yarmouth MP lost the Reform whip earlier this month after the party said it had received evidence of “serious bullying” and “derogatory” remarks made about women in the MP’s offices.

Mr Lowe has repeatedly denied the allegations against him, and claimed in a post on X on Tuesday afternoon that Reform is “shamefully attacking my innocent staff to smear my name”.

Unprecedented

He added: “This is not right. It’s unprecedented in modern British politics.”

In the report accompanying Reform’s statement, the KC is named as Jacqueline Perry.

Ms Perry said there was “veracity in the complaints from both women which amounts (to) ‘credible evidence’ – to use Mr Lowe’s own words”.

She added that the complaints of “victimisation, constant criticisms (and) discriminatory behaviour do seem to amount to harassment on the part of both Mr Lowe and his constituency team”.

Ms Perry said Mr Lowe “seems to have failed or been unwilling to address the very real concerns” of the two complainants, or “address the toxic conduct” of male members of his staff.

She advised Reform to be “quite strict” about ensuring party members were “fully acquainted” with parliamentary rules following her investigation into complaints against Mr Lowe.

Bullying

She said: “Going forward I would advise the party hierarchy to be quite strict about ensuring that each member of the party is fully acquainted with the rules of Parliament as regards bullying and the provisions of the 2010 (Equality) Act given, I repeat, it is a really low threshold to be crossed to be able to bring such a claim against a member.

“The party wants to avoid any such unpleasantness, not just due to the risk of legal action but also out of common decency and respect for another person who is doing his/her best to do a good job.”

Mr Lowe was one of five MPs elected for Reform in last year’s election.