Farage is working a cult, says ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe

Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe has accused Nigel Farage’s social gathering of being “the cult of Nigel” and says he was the sufferer of a “political assassination try”.

Talking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Newsnight, Lowe urged his relationship with Reform UK modified when “Elon Musk got here out and was complimentary about me and fewer complimentary about Nigel”.

The Nice Yarmouth MP made the feedback in his first broadcast interview for the reason that Crown Prosecution Service determined to not press costs over threats he was alleged to have made.

Reform UK declined to touch upon Lowe’s newest assault on Farage, who has beforehand dismissed the row as irrelevant to the continued advance of the social gathering.

Sarah Pochin, who earlier this month received the Runcorn and Helsby by-election for Reform, described herself as Lowe’s “substitute” on the social gathering’s benches in Parliament and in addition performed down the Lowe spat.

“I actually assume it’s white noise round what is a large, energetic motion now, Reform, coming throughout the nation and coming for the opposite two events,” she advised the BBC.

Lowe was elected as a Reform MP in final yr’s normal election however was suspended by the social gathering in March, amid claims of threats in direction of its chairman Zia Yusuf.

In his Newsnight interview, Lowe stated of Farage’s “brutal” management model “If individuals turn into, if you happen to like, too tall a poppy, he tends to lop off the top of the poppy”.

On Reform UK’s management, Lowe stated Farage has “a staff of what I name, very long-term light-weight form of servants, which is what you have a tendency to seek out in a cult.”

The unbiased MP added that he did not assume Farage is “match to be chief”.

“I believe he is finally an excellent, what I might name, ballroom entertainer. And he stands up and he entertains, and he is extraordinarily good at that.”

On Wednesday, Malcolm McHaffie, head of the CPS, stated it made the choice to not press costs on Mr Lowe “following a radical and detailed overview of the proof”.

Though the CPS assertion doesn’t title Lowe, the case pertains to an incident on the Palace of Westminster in December 2024.

Lowe maintains that the claims made towards him are unfaithful. “Why did they do it? I believe it was a political assassination try.”

“I believe Nigel is working a cult. That is what I concluded, and I believe it is the cult of Nigel. And anybody who principally has a distinct opinion, is successfully expunged from, being a menace to, to the cult.”

Lowe additionally revealed that his firearms had been confiscated from his house by police, following his row with Reform.

“We had an unannounced visitation from 4 armed law enforcement officials in three vehicles”, he stated.

“They got here and so they took all my weapons away.”

Lowe declined to say if he would launch a brand new political social gathering, suggesting as a substitute that “essentially the most highly effective instrument for change most likely can be reformed Tory social gathering”.

“I may be a part of the Tories tomorrow if I needed to. I haven’t got a difficulty with the Tories,” he added.

Nevertheless, Lowe additionally urged he would “make certain there’s an alternate” to the prevailing political choices, including “if individuals assume I will pack up my tent to depart the sector, they’re very unsuitable.”

When requested about what assist this “various” may acquire, Lowe urged Elon Musk “broadly, would contemplate supporting us” in a future political enterprise.

“I can not communicate for him, however would I be grateful and would I be ok with his verbal assist? Sure. Monetary assist? Sure. If he selected to try this, it will be unbelievable.”

Watch Rupert Lowe’s interview on Newsnight on BBC Two at 22:30 BST.