MP Rupert Lowe challenging watchdog decision to investigate him at High Court

Independent MP Rupert Lowe is seeking to take High Court legal action against the parliamentary watchdog over its decision to investigate him following a complaint, a judge has said.

Mr Lowe is seeking to challenge the decision of the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), which the MP for Great Yarmouth claims was made last July.

The decision, which Mr Lowe is asking the court to quash, came following a complaint made to the ICGS by a third party who cannot be identified.

In a court order issued earlier this week, Mr Justice Chamberlain said a hearing has been scheduled for March 17 to decide whether the High Court can hear the claim, with the ICGS arguing that it does not have the power to do so.

The judge continued that a separate hearing will be held on Tuesday to decide whether the ICGS should be temporarily blocked from investigating the complaint, pending the outcome of the March hearing.

He said: “The defendant submits that the investigation relates to the internal processes of the House of Commons, that such processes fall within the exclusive cognisance of the House of Commons and, therefore, that the court has no jurisdiction to consider the claim.

“The court fixed a hearing on March 17 2026, to determine as a preliminary issue whether it has jurisdiction to consider the claim.

“The claimant subsequently sought interim relief to prevent the defendant from taking steps to investigate the complaint against him before the court has determined the preliminary issue.”

In a separate order issued in December, Mr Justice Chamberlain said there was “a strong public interest in a prompt and authoritative determination” of whether the court had the power to hear the claim.

No details of the complaint against Mr Lowe were given.

The ICGS is responsible for investigating complaints of inappropriate behaviour against MPs.

In June last year, MPs approved changes to the watchdog, including establishing a permanent ICGS Assurance Board which would scrutinise its performance and hold its director to account.

This follows a review of the ICGS, in which former Hampshire Police chief constable Paul Kernaghan made 26 recommendations, including mandatory training on Parliament’s code of conduct for all MPs.

Mr Lowe was elected as a Reform UK MP, but was suspended by the party in March last year amid claims he had threatened then-party chairman Zia Yusuf.

He denied the allegations, and the Crown Prosecution Service said no criminal charges would be brought against him in relation to alleged threats towards Mr Yusuf.