Nigel Farage took a swipe at leadership rival Rupert Lowe after he questioned the Reform UK boss’s ability to lead the party as their public spat escalated
Nigel Farage has taken a swipe at one of his own MPs who brutally questioned his leadership skills.
A war of words has opened up between Reform UK chief Mr Farage and Rupert Lowe, who has previously caught the eye of Elon Musk. Mr Lowe, a former Southampton FC chairman, accused his boss of acting like a “messiah” and hinted he may walk away at the next election.
The spat has been seized on by the Tories, who accused Reform of descending into “warfare”. Asked to respond to his underling’s attack, Mr Farage got animated and told Talk TV: “Perhaps he wants to be Prime Minister.”
Mr Lowe brazenly dismissed Reform as a “protest party led by the Messiah” and said it needs “top to bottom” change. Mr Farage vented: “We’re not a protest party in any way at all, that’s utterly completely wrong.”
The split came after Mr Lowe complained in an interview to the Daily Mail that his leader must learn to delegate. And in a blistering shot at Mr Farage he said: “I’m not going to be by Nigel’s side at the next election unless we have a proper plan to change the way we govern from top to bottom.”
Asked if his boss would make a good Prime Minister Mr Lowe said: “He has got messianic qualities. Will those messianic qualities distil into sage leadership? I don’t know.”
He went on to say that Reform needs to become a “properly structured party with a frontbench”. Mr Farage shot back:” Mr Farage seemed puzzled by the remarks, fuming: “He’s on the frontbench now, what’s he talking about.” He was unable to say whether Mr Lowe would still be involved in the party in the future.
Reform has had five MPs since the general election. Responding to the “messiah” jibe, Mr Farage suggested his rival would not have won his seat in the first place without him.
He said: “If I’ve got a following out there that’s a good thing. If I hadn’t we wouldn’t have won any seats on July 4.” Mr Lowe – who has previously defended far-right thug Tommy Robinson – has been linked with a leadership challenge since being singled out by Musk.
In a huge humiliation for Mr Farage, Musk suggested the Reform leader “doesn’t have what it takes” in January. The billionaire, who had been lavished with praise by the party leader just hours earlier, later said: “I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense.”
After Mr Lowe’s latest remarks, Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “This internecine warfare at the top of Reform just goes to show that their MPs are more concerned with their own egos, and advancing their personal ambitions, rather than standing up for the British people.
“With one of Farage’s most senior MPs doubting his leadership abilities and admitting that Reform is a protest party with no plan, it is clear that Reform are not serious, and will always put self-interest above our national interest.”
