Rupert Lowe has said he will not stand with Nigel Farage if Reform UK doesn’t change ‘from top to bottom’ and voiced frustration at his leadership – prompting the Tories to claim it the party is in ‘warfare’
Elon Musk’s favourite Reform MP has taken a brutal “Messiah” swipe at Nigel Farage – and hinted at frustration with his leadership.
Rupert Lowe, who the world’s richest man tipped as a successor for Mr Farage, said he would not stand alongside his leader unless the party changes “from top to bottom”. And he gave a lukewarm response when asked if Mr Farage would make a good PM.
The remarks have been seized on by the Tories, who accused the party of descending into “warfare” and “advancing their personal ambitions”. Mr Lowe’s prickly remarks saw him gripe that Reform is a “protest part led by the Messiah”.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, former Southampton FC chairman Mr Lowe – who has previously defended far-right thug Tommy Robinson – blasted Mr Farage’s leadership style, fuming he needs to delegate. And he warned he would not “be by Nigel’s side” unless this changes.
The ultimatum came after he responded “I don’t know” when asked if Mr Farage would make a good PM. He said: “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 distil into sage leadership? I don’t know.”
The hardliner went on to say that Reform needs to change from “a protest party led by the Messiah” to a “properly structured party with a frontbench”. Mr Lowe went on to say that Reform members “have to start behaving as if we are leading and not merely protesting”.
In a sign of frustration with Mr Farage’s leadership, Mr Lowe said he must “learn to delegate” – saying not everything can go through one person. And he went on: “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.”
In January Twitter/X owner Musk heaped humiliation on Mr Farage by saying he “doesn’t have what it takes”. He went on to praise Mr Lowe, saying: “I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense.”
It immediately led to speculation of a leadership challenge. 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.”
