Francesca Gillett
BBC News
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has defended the decision to suspend one of his MPs, as he warned against “constant infighting” within political parties.
Writing in the Telegraph, Farage acknowledged the row had “dented” the “sense of unity” in Reform but said it would have been “inconceivable” not to take action.
They are his first public comments since MP Rupert Lowe was suspended from Reform, and he will now sit as an independent while an inquiry is carried out.
Lowe is accused of workplace bullying, and also separately making threats of physical violence against the party’s chairman. He denies the claims.
Responding to Farage’s Telegraph piece, he said it was an “entirely false and poisonous narrative”.
Lowe – who is the MP for Great Yarmouth – has said there is “zero credible evidence” against him, and that he was suspended in response to him criticising Farage in an interview earlier this week.
Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg there was “absolutely no truth” in claims of a connection between Lowe’s comments on Thursday and allegations against him emerging a day later.
The MP for Boston and Skegness said he became aware of Lowe’s suspension on Friday before it was announced but “anxieties that we had” over Lowe’s alleged b
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