Mr Lowe has been suspended by Reform UK as the party is beset by infighting (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Express)
The civil war engulfing Reform UK has seen it haemorrhage support and “could be the end of the party”, it has been sensationally claimed.
A well-placed party insider says thousands of paid-up members have left since Rupert Lowe was axed last week.
The office of the millionaire MP for Great Yarmouth stands accused of bullying two female staffers and, separately, Mr Lowe has been reported to police over accusations he threatened Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf with violence.
Mr Lowe, 67, vehemently denies all claims and says it is part of a plot to “ruin him”.
A senior Reform insider predicted: “It’s all going to get very nasty and this could be the end of the party. It is obvious that [party leader ] loathes Rupert’s appeal. He seems to hate Rupert and his success.
“Apparently we have lost a lot of members since this all blew up, so that tells you how this is playing out with the public. Party has been put before the country and there’s no going back from this.”
The well-placed source claimed Mr Lowe irked Mr Farage because of a broad appeal that has won him millions of admirers on social media and a ringing endorsement from the world’s richest man, , a key lieutenant. He has also gone rogue by outlining a wide range of policy suggestions, most recently an action plan to inject life into Britain’s high streets, further cementing his reputation as a common sense politician.
Speaking to the Express late last night Mr Lowe, 67, said: “This is a malicious witch hunt that has been launched against me with the sole aim to ruin my reputation, and kick me out of the party. There is zero credible evidence against me. This has all happened because I dared to raise constructive concerns about and Reform.
“Is it a surprise that these allegations came to light and I was removed the day after my questions were published? Before an investigation had even started, never mind concluded? Innocent until proven guilty. Many of the allegations are not even made against me personally.
“Our members deserve better, our supporters deserve better, our country deserves better.
“I always say it is important to stand up to bullies, and that is exactly what I am doing. I have been meeting with my legal team, and appropriate action will follow. I will not tolerate falsehoods.
“I am innocent. Nigel knows that, they all know that. It’s a vindictive attack to remove me from Reform.”
Famous Five: Reform UK MPs Lee Anderson, Nigel Farage, Rupert Lowe, Richard Tice and James McMurdock (Image: PA)
Yesterday hero Mr Farage, 60, whose rebranded Reform UK party is a reincarnation of the political movement that sealed the UK’s historic divorce from the bloc and delievered five MPs at last July’s General Election, claimed Mr Lowe had “managed to fall out with all his parliamentary colleagues in one way or another”, adding: “We did our best to keep a lid on things but, in the end, containment strategies invariably fail.”
However, former Southampton Football Club chairman, Mr Lowe, plans to strike back this week as the vicious war of words escalates.
He said: “I will not tolerate these falsehoods, and discussions have already taken place with my legal team. Is it a surprise that these allegations were made public the day after I made reasonable criticisms of and the Reform leadership?
“It is a witch hunt, plain for all to see. I have been entirely frozen out of the Reform machine over the last few months, in a deliberate and calculated way.”
The source added: “The incredible thing is the wider public, industry and business will be looking at this and thinking they just don’t want to get involved. Nigel is annoyed that someone is stealing his thunder.”
The extraordinary blue-on-blue attack comes weeks after Mr Farage begged supporters to throw Reform £20 to help it topple the “dictators” who cancelled the local elections.
Labour has axed nine council ballots as part of a reorganisation of local government in areas the start-up targeted as winnable.
Local elections set for May in Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, and the Isle of Wight will no longer occur as planned.
Mr Farage dedicated his life to securing Brexit but is now battling to save Reform UK. (Image: Getty Images)
Earlier this year Reform started to assemble a war chest with a view to a full-scale assault on Downing Street in 2029. But the vicious infighting currently engulfing the party could ultimately scupper its ambitions.
In a message to supporters, Mr Farage said: “I can hardly believe I am writing this, but Labour and the have colluded to cancel the votes of 5.5 million people on May 1. There is only one reason for this decision: Westminster is absolutely terrified of the rise of Reform. We are now leading in the polls and the establishment will do anything to stop us.”
In a rallying cry, he added: “Reaching the remaining 15 million voters is now even more important than ever.
“Reform UK must now fight in the areas that are going ahead even harder than ever before.
“And to help us win in Kent, County Durham, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and elsewhere, we need to build a war chest.
“Please donate £20 to our campaign fund and help us send a message to the establishment because only dictators cancel elections.”
Reform UK’s new treasurer is Nick Candy, the husband of actress Holly Valance, with well-heeled backers including Charles James Spencer-Churchill, the 12th Duke of Marlborough.
The row comes after a recent poll suggested one in five who voted Conservative at the General Election last July would vote for Reform. The YouGov poll audit put the party on 25%, with Labour in second on 24% and the on 21%.
Mr Farage’s representatives have been contacted.