Public ‘does not like parties that engage in constant infighting’ – Farage

Nigel Farage has said that the public “does not like political parties that engage in constant infighting”, in his first intervention since Rupert Lowe had the Reform UK whip suspended.

Mr Lowe was reported to the police after allegations of threatening violence towards the party chairman.

Reform also said it had received evidence of “serious bullying” and “derogatory” remarks made about women in the MP’s offices, with two separate employees said to have made allegations. Mr Lowe has denied the claims.

Mr Farage pressed the importance of good behaviour in the party and said the allegations had “dented” the “sense of unity” it had been building.

Writing for the Telegraph, Mr Farage said: “If the last general election taught us anything, it is that the public does not like political parties that engage in constant infighting.”

He said he was “acutely aware” that the “never-ending civil war that came to define the last Conservative government” had contributed to Labour’s majority.

Mr Farage added: “Reform UK matters more now than it has ever done before.

“That is why it is so important that our party – and every single one of its representatives – behaves responsibly at all times. Nothing less will do.”

Bullying

As well as the allegations regarding bullying in Mr Lowe’s offices, Reform accused him on Friday of making threats of physical violence at least twice to party chairman Zia Yusuf.

Scotland Yard said on Friday that a complaint of “verbal threats” made on Thursday about an alleged incident last December was being assessed by officers.

In the same piece, Mr Farage said Reform has “a duty of care to every single member of staff” and the chairman was “entirely right” to appoint a KC to “conduct an independent inquiry” into the bullying complaints.

“It is inconceivable that we could simply ignore such allegations,” Mr Farage added.

‘Poisonous’

In a post on X, Mr Lowe said “the process has been handled so appallingly”, and accused Mr Farage of “an entirely false and poisonous narrative”.

He added: “This isn’t about me, or you, or any petty personal differences you may have with me. This is about our members, our supporters, our country.”

Splits in the party appeared on Thursday after Mr Lowe told the Daily Mail that Reform remained a “protest party led by the Messiah” under Mr Farage.

Asked whether the former Ukip leader had the potential to become prime minister, as his supporters have suggested, Mr Lowe said: “It’s too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods. He can only deliver if he surrounds himself with the right people.”

Mr Lowe was one of five people elected as a Reform MP at the general election in July.