Rupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth, has announced plans to take legal action against Nigel Farage and senior Reform UK figures over what he calls a “concerted smear campaign”. The defamation claim, also directed at party chairman Zia Yusuf and MP Lee Anderson, follows accusations made on 7 March that Lowe engaged in serious workplace bullying and made threats to assault Mr Yusuf. Lowe strongly denies the claims and has instructed solicitors to pursue the matter in the High Court if no retraction is made.
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The conflict escalated after Mr Lowe criticised Mr Farage in a Daily Mail interview, calling him a “messiah” figure and suggesting he must delegate more. A day later, the party suspended Mr Lowe and released a statement alleging a toxic workplace culture. While Reform insists the suspension was unrelated to the interview, the Metropolitan Police confirmed it is looking into separate allegations concerning threats made by Mr Lowe.
Leaked messages showed Mr Farage branding Lowe’s behaviour “disgusting”, claiming it had harmed the party ahead of local elections. Meanwhile, an independent King’s Counsel later deemed the bullying claims “credible”—a finding Lowe disputes. He insists he is taking legal action reluctantly, aiming only to clear his name and protect his reputation.
The row has coincided with a drop in Reform UK’s polling numbers, which briefly overtook Labour before falling back. Recent polling puts both parties neck-and-neck at around 24 per cent. Reform insiders have voiced frustration that the internal fallout is overshadowing their campaign efforts. Both the party and Mr Farage have declined to comment further.
