Nigel Farage called the behaviour of suspended Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe “disgusting” and “contemptible” in private WhatsApp messages seen by the BBC.
In the messages, which were sent after Lowe criticised the Reform leader in a Daily Mail interview, Farage accused him of “damaging the party just before elections”.
Reform has always denied there was any connection between Lowe’s suspension and his criticism of the party.
In his Mail interview on 5 March, Lowe called Reform a “protest party” led by “the Messiah”. He was suspended on 7 March and reported to police over claims he had made threats of violence against party chairman Zia Yusuf.
Reform said it had also received allegations of bullying in Lowe’s MP offices. Lowe strongly denies all the allegations.
Farage told the BBC: “The suspension was to protect the party, simple. The newspaper attack on Reform UK is separate but dreadful.”
He has previously insisted the party was duty bound to look into any allegations of wrongdoing.
Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice previously told the BBC there was “absolutely no truth” in claims of a link between the decision to suspend Lowe and the allegations being made public.
But a series of messages between Farage and someone who has worked for Lowe in recent years reveals Farage’s personal anger with Lowe about his comments to the Daily Mail.
Farage and the source discuss the impact of Lowe’s interview on the party, with Farage saying the party is “damaged” and “awful”.
Source link
