Farage faces witch hunt claim in Reform civil war

Nigel Farage has been forced to defend his leadership of Reform as the party descends into further civil war over the suspension of MP Rupert Lowe.

- DAVID MADDOX

In what is turning out to be the biggest threat to Mr Farage since his comeback during the general election last year, Mr Lowe and his allies have accused him of conducting a “witch hunt” against the Great Yarmouth MP.

Mr Lowe was suspended from Reform UK late last week over allegations of bullying against two female members of staff, but he refutes the accusations and counter-claims that he has been smeared because Mr Farage saw him as a threat to his authority.

In an article for The Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage continued his attack, claiming he had no choice but to act against Mr Lowe. In the letter, the party leader alleged one previously undisclosed instance in which Mr Lowe reportedly pushed the shipping minister Mike Kane in the House of Commons just before the Christmas recess.

Mr Kane had allegedly responded to a question posed by Mr Lowe about a damaged cargo ship that had docked in his constituency while carrying hundreds of tonnes of the potentially explosive fertiliser, ammonium nitrate.

Mr Farage wrote in The Telegraph: “A confrontation ensued. Heated language was heard. The minister’s shoulder was pushed. In the end, the serjeant at arms had to step in to calm things down between the two parliamentarians.”