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Infighting in U.K.’s Anti-Immigration Party Now Involves the Police
Reform U.K., led by Nigel Farage, said it was investigating claims that one of its lawmakers had bullied staff members. He was also accused of “threats of physical violence” against another top party official.
The anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage said on Friday it had referred one of its lawmakers to the police for allegedly threatening a senior colleague, in the biggest crisis to hit Britain’s insurgent right-wing party since its success in last year’s general election.
In a statement, the party, Reform U.K., said the lawmaker, Rupert Lowe, had been accused of making “threats of physical violence” against Reform’s chairman, Zia Yusuf. The party also said that it was investigating complaints that Mr. Lowe had bullied female staff members, and that it had suspended him.
In a statement posted on social media on Friday, Mr. Lowe, 67, denied the allegations, adding that it was “no surprise” that “vexatious” claims had been lodged after he recently made critical comments about Mr. Farage and the party’s structures.
In recent months, Reform U.K. has surged in opinion polls, overtaking the main opposition Conservative Party and closing in on the governing Labour Party, which is led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
But in the past, parties led by Mr. Farage have proved prone to internal divisions, and the drama on Friday suggested that Reform U.K. could be following the same pattern.
The new, explosive developments appeared to turn on the growing tension between Mr. Lowe, a businessman and the former chairman of Southampton F.C. soccer club, and Mr. Farage, Reform U.K.’s charismatic but divisive leader.
