A civil war has engulfed Reform UK (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Nigel Farage’s Brexit legacy is being “sullied” by the civil war engulfing Reform UK, Rupert Lowe has claimed.
Mr Lowe, who has had the whip suspended over bullying claims and alleged threats of physical violence, accused Mr Farage of launching a “smear assault” after he questioned the party’s policies and strategy.
The Great Yarmouth MP claimed “egos must be parked” to resolve the war of words between the pair, adding: “I once considered you a friend, I no longer do.”
Mr Lowe wrote on Thursday: “Egos must be parked to resolve this. I am trying to do that by reaching out, again.
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Rupert Lowe has been locked in a bitter civil war with Nigel Farage (Image: Adam Gerrard / Daily Express)
“But first, you must stop your wicked assault on my character and reputation. It all must halt. I hope to hear from you. If I don’t, I’d like to put on record my thanks for what you did to deliver . Sadly, that legacy is being sullied by your appalling behaviour over the last week.
“I once considered you a friend. I no longer do, but there remains a better way to resolve this.”
Mr Farage and Mr Lowe were locked in a furious war of words on social media on Wednesday as the Reform UK civil war deepened.
The Reform leader hit out at the Great Yarmouth MP’s “monstrous” claim that the party tried to stop him speaking out on grooming gangs.
It comes after Mr Lowe lost the whip last week amid allegations over his conduct, which he denies. The Clacton MP wrote on X: “I have fought against the rape gangs for over a decade. For Rupert Lowe to say that I tried to prevent him talking about it is monstrous.”
Mr Farage went on: “He told Lee Anderson he would ‘slit the throat of the Reform party’. Lowe is out to cause damage and should be ignored by our supporters.”
But Mr Lowe accused Mr Farage of being “desperate” in a reply to his tweet.
He added: “I said that Reform leadership was slitting its own throat by launching this horrific smear campaign against me, with zero credible evidence. I raised questions of Reform policy, communication and structure. The day after, you kicked me out. That’s your real motive.”
The row came after Mr Farage said there was no way back to Reform for Mr Lowe after his claim about grooming gangs.
Mr Lowe, continuing the civil war, said on Thursday morning: “Silencing members on the threat of being removed from the party for speaking about my treatment is not acceptable in a democratic organisation.
“These people are volunteers, who care about their country. They have every right to express their opinion on what has happened to me. I urge you to treat them with the respect they deserve.
“I know what is happening behind the scenes, and I know it has shocked you. This will not stop, and will only worsen.
Rupert Lowe has said he once considered Nigel Farage a friend (Image: Getty)
“We can all see the truth. You launched this smear assault the day after I raised reasonable concerns about Reform policy, communication and structure.
“What did you think it would look like? Did you honestly think it would appear reasonable? Your real motive was to remove me because I dared to ask questions. And I know you know that. We must resolve this in the matter expected of us by both the party and the country. In private, behind closed doors.”
Splits in the right-wing party came to a head on Friday when Reform said Mr Lowe had been reported to the police over alleged “threats of physical violence” to chairman Zia Yusuf.
It also claimed that two women working in the MP’s offices had made complaints about “workplace bullying” and “derogatory remarks”.
Mr Lowe has strenuously denied the claims, saying the allegations of bullying do not relate to him and were made by staff who themselves faced disciplinary action.
He also questioned the timing of the police report after Scotland Yard confirmed it was assessing a complaint the force received on Thursday about an alleged incident last December.
Tensions became apparent a day earlier when Mr Lowe questioned Mr Farage’s leadership in an outspoken interview.