As cracks deepen in Reform, Political Editor Lizzy Buchan sat down with shadow home secretary Chris Philp to get his take on suspended MP Rupert Lowe’s future amidst verbal abuse allegations
Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, revealed on the Division Bell podcast that he thinks suspended Reform MP “has been treated appallingly by Reform and by Nigel Farage in particular.”
Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe was suspended by his party over allegations of “verbal abuse” against staff and separate claims of threats of physical violence against Reform chairman Zia Yusuf, which are being investigated by the Metropolitan Police. Mr Lowe vehemently denies the allegations.
Top Tory Mr Philp defended the multimillionaire MP, saying he has been “subject to all kinds of vicious and vitriolic attacks”.
Mr Lowe and Mr Farage have been locked in a public slanging match, with Mr Lowe telling the Reform leader: “My latest invitation for dinner with you did not receive a response, but I am going to make one last effort…You must stop your wicked assault on my character and reputation. It all must halt.”
Asked if the Tories would welcome Mr Lowe, Mr Philp said: “The Conservative Party is a broad church, and we’re always willing to welcome new people to our ranks.”
But he added: “I certainly haven’t had any discussion with Rupert Lowe, I’m not aware that anyone else has either, and obviously there is a police investigation. So I don’t really want to comment on the specifics of that case.
Mr Philp said Reform are “fighting like rats in a sack and they’ve gone from fitting into the back of a black taxi to fitting in the back of a mini, pretty soon it will be a tandem bicycle and before long, a unicycle.”
For a party with now just 4 MPs, things aren’t looking good for Reform as the civil war rages on.
To hear more from Chris Philp, Lizzy Buchan and Christian Calgie listen to the brand new episode of The Division Bell wherever you get your podcasts!