UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faces internal backlash as MPs accuse him of authoritarian leadership, raising concerns over governance and internal bullying.
A few weeks back, Mr. Farage’s party was at its peak, surpassing Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives in the polls and, in some surveys, even leading over Labour’s government.
But Reform UK now faces internal turmoil. Tensions over its leader are escalating into public clashes amid allegations of bullying and internal power struggles.
What did Ben Habib say about Reform UK’s leadership?
Earlier this week, Ben Habib, former co-deputy leader of Reform UK, criticised the charges against Rupert Lowe, calling them baseless and a deliberate strategy to sideline those who fall out of favor within the party. In an interview with The Observer, he claimed the leadership routinely targets those questioning its authority.
He stated,
“Everything was coming to a head with Rupert and this has been contrived to damage him. They have lost someone who is highly regarded by members. This is a very damaging development for Reform, and if Nigel wishes to reverse it, then he needs to embrace Rupert very quickly. He needs to listen to what the criticisms are and address them.”
Mr Habib highlighted that the party lacked a well-defined structure and effective checks and balances to hold its leadership accountable. He warned that without immediate reforms, the party’s success was doubtful.
Why was Rupert Lowe removed from Reform UK?
Elon Musk previously considered Rupert Lowe a potential successor to Nigel Farage. However, Lowe raised concerns about Reform UK’s direction. He argued that the party required a stronger policy framework and dedicated spokespeople. He also warned that if Reform remained centered on Farage’s “messianic” leadership, he might consider leaving.
In response to a question about whether Nigel Farage would be a good prime minister, Lowe stated,
“It’s too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods. He can only deliver if he surrounds himself with the right people.”
Mr Lowe added,
“Nigel is a fiercely independent individual and is extremely good at what we have done so far. He has got messianic qualities. Will those messianic qualities distill into sage leadership? I don’t know.”
On Friday, 7 March 2025, Reform UK took decisive action against Rupert Lowe, suspending him from the parliamentary party. Zia Yusuf, Reform’s chairman, stated that two female employees had reported serious bullying in his parliamentary and constituency offices.
The Reform party stated,
“Evidence was provided to us of workplace bullying, the targeting of female staff who raised concerns, and evidence of derogatory and discriminatory remarks made about women, including reference to a perceived disability.”
It continued that Mr Lowe allegedly threatened party chairman Zia Yusuf with physical harm multiple times. The party further revealed that the issue had been reported to the police. However, in response, the party has assigned a duty to an independent lawyer to oversee the inquiry into the claims.
What did Julia Stephenson say about the charges against Lowe?
Reform UK member Julia Stephenson, 62, the former campaigner for Nigel Farage, stated that party members were deeply concerned by the latest developments. She highlighted that WhatsApp groups were filled with disbelief and worry. She claimed many within the party remained supportive of Rupert Lowe and Ben Habib, who had been forced out as co-deputy leader the previous year.
She argued that the charges against Rupert Lowe were fabricated and motivated by malice, an attempt to undermine his stance against the party.
Ms. Stephenson stated,
“Nobody was a bigger fan than me of Nigel Farage, but I think he has been an absolute disgrace,”
adding,
“He is a disrupter, but he isn’t very good at setting things up.”
She continued,
“Nigel just wants to run a protest party. We have no way of removing him as leader. We only have five MPs and if they can’t get along, how on earth can we run a country? He gets a great body of support and just slowly falls out with everybody and loses the best people.”
What did Gawain Towler say about the Reform UK row and Farage’s role?
Gawain Towler, ex-communications director for Reform, described the ongoing controversy as a “minor issue” that had been “blown out of proportion.” He argued that critics of Nigel Farage should acknowledge his contributions to the party’s achievements.
He stated,
“Nigel has been called many things, but without him in the election we wouldn’t have got any seats. I don’t think [Lowe] realised quite how hard it is to lead a political party. It’s hard to build a party from scratch.”
Mr Towler claimed that Lowe’s political success was largely tied to Nigel Farage, stating that he secured seats in both the European Parliament and Westminster by riding on Farage’s “coat-tails.”
He continued,
“Nigel will be very frustrated. He has worked for 30 years to get to a point where he can change the country for good. He doesn’t want it to blow up now, does he?”
How did Rupert Lowe respond to the allegations against him?
Mr Lowe stated he had never made disrespectful remarks about women or people with disabilities. He slammed the accusations as “a lie” and dismissed the claims of physical threats as “outrageous and completely false.”
He stated that he had discussions with the lawyer, who informed him that no substantial evidence had been found against him.
Labour MPs and councillors removed over allegations of WhatsApp group
Two Labour MPs, including Andrew Gwynne and Oliver Ryan, were removed from the Labour Party due to their connection to the WhatsApp group “Trigger Me Timbers.”
Moreover, 11 councillors were also suspended from the party over allegations of making derogatory comments.