A former Reform UK insider has questioned the party’s top brass as a fallout with Rupert Lowe MP continues to cause turmoil.
Howard Cox was the populist party’s London Mayoral candidate last year before quitting over its stance on activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
Speaking on GB News, Cox criticised the party’s treatment of Rupert Lowe, who was stripped of the Reform whip last week after they made a string of allegations about him.
An extraordinary statement said Lowe faced bullying allegations from two women who had worked with him and that he had separately verbally threatened Reform’s chair, Zia Yusuf.
Howard Cox told GB News he 'loves' Rupert Lowe
GB NEWS / PARLIAMENT
Lowe has vehemently denied the allegations, and Cox thinks the party is developing a reputation of politically motivated oustings.
“My inbox is flooded with loyal Reformers who are dismayed, asking ‘what the hell is going on?’, this should have been done behind closed doors”, he said.
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Rupert LowePA“I love Rupert Lowe. He was there on the day of my London Mayoral election. No one from Reform headquarters was there when I put my vote in the ballot box in Westminster, apart from Rupert Lowe.
“I’ve got some loyalty to him because he stood by me. I knew I wouldn’t win that election. I still support Reform but unfortunately, if you criticise the leadership, you are thrown under the bus.
“I did not like the way Reform treated the Tommy Robinson issue. That’s what I stood up against and I was threatened with expulsion.
“I am not being told what I can and can’t say - that’s why I got out.”
Howard Cox joined Bev and Andrew on GB News
GB NEWS
Reform has denied its suspension of Lowe was politically motivated and Nigel Farage yesterday said the MP’s behaviour has been a problem “for months”.
Tice spoke out over the weekend in a bid to calm the row that has sparked chaos in the party less than two months before a pivotal set of local elections.
The party’s ex-leader said there was no link between the suspension and Lowe’s criticism of Nigel the day prior.
Asked whether he expects people to believe that, Tice told the BBC: “I think people will believe that because there is absolutely no truth in that suggestion.”
He added: “The sad reality is Rupert has been doing some great work but there have been too many instances where actually we’ve seen a different character.”
Lowe’s criticism of the party saw him brand them a “protest party led by the Messiah” in an extraordinary attack.
He also said it was “too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods” and become prime minister.
