Lowe hits out at ‘coward and viper’ Farage after CPS say he will face no charges

Former Reform MP Rupert Lowe accused his ex-colleagues of a “sinister” attempt to use the police to silence him, as he launched a furious attack on Nigel Farage.

No criminal charges will be brought against Great Yarmouth MP Mr Lowe, after he was accused of making verbal threats against party chairman Zia Yusuf.

The Crown Prosecution Service said there was not enough evidence to bring charges against “a sitting MP” over an alleged incident at the Palace of Westminster in December.

‘Sinister’

Mr Lowe, who now sits in the Commons as an independent, accused Reform’s leader, Mr Farage, of being a “coward and a viper”.

He said: “This was not normal political infighting.

“It was a sinister attempt to weaponise the criminal justice system against me, putting not just my political future but my liberty at risk.

“All because I dared to raise constructive criticisms of Nigel Farage, stood firm on deporting illegal migrants, and pushed for Reform to be run democratically – not as a vehicle to stroke one man’s ego.”

‘Ashamed’

Mr Lowe said he was “ashamed” to have shared a platform with Reform.

“Farage is no leader – he is a coward and a viper. I feel deeply embarrassed that I ever thought he was the man to lead,” he said.

Mr Lowe said Mr Farage “must never be prime minister”, warning: “If Farage were ever to control the vast power of the British state, I believe he would not hesitate to do to his adversaries what they have tried to do to me.

“With real power, I fear he would wield that immense responsibility to crush dissent – as he has done time and again over the years.”

The bitter feud between Mr Lowe and his former allies intensified after tech billionaire Elon Musk praised the Great Yarmouth MP in January and suggested Mr Farage did not have what it takes to lead the party.

In a statement in March, Reform UK said Mr Lowe had been reported to police over alleged “threats of physical violence” to party chairman Mr Yusuf.

Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said: “Following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence in relation to an allegation of threats, we have decided that no criminal charges should be brought against a sitting MP.

“Having considered a number of witness statements, we have concluded that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.”