Reform's expulsion of MP has exposed bitter civil war

David Maddox reports on the messy infighting at the party

- David Maddox

When Elon Musk had his epiphany in January and publicly endorsed Rupert Lowe to replace Nigel Farage as leader of Reform UK, I received a message within minutes. "That's the end of Rupert. Nigel won't tolerate that," said a former ally of Farage.

Two months later, Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth and former Southampton football club chair, finds himself suspended from the party. He is facing serious allegations of bullying towards female staff and claims that he made threats of physical violence against the party's chair. Reform has even referred the matter to the police.

In terms of timing, the ousting came after 48 hours of Lowe creating headlines questioning Farage's leadership and complaining about the dysfunction in Reform UK. It did not take long for a number of senior former Reform figures who have been forced out in recent months, including ex-deputy leader Ben Habib and ex-London mayor candidate Howard Cox, to allege that Lowe had been framed.

While investigations will now determine the truth about Lowe's behaviour, the row has blown open a problem within Reform that has been bubbling below the surface for months now.

Reform dysfunction

The Independent understands that late last month, a senior national campaign organiser who was poached by Reform from the Tories decided to quit because they could no longer put up with the way the party is being run. They summarise that the surge to the top of the polls by Reform UK has masked a civil war going on behind the scenes, fuelled by competing egos.