Police are assessing a report of “verbal threats” in an alleged incident last December, Scotland Yard said as Reform UK suspended MP Rupert Lowe and accused him of bullying.
In a statement on Friday, Reform said it had received evidence of “derogatory” remarks made about women by Mr Lowe, who was elected to his Great Yarmouth seat last year.
He was also alleged to have “on at least two occasions made threats of physical violence” to Reform chairman Zia Yusuf, who said the matter is “with the police”.
Mr Lowe denied the claims, describing the statement as “vexatious” and saying the complaint to police, made on Thursday, “obviously went in just after I asked reasonable questions of Reform’s leadership”.
In a statement on Friday, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “On Thursday 6 March we received an allegation of verbal threats made by a 67-year-old man on Friday 13 December.
“Officers are carrying out an assessment of the allegations to determine what further action may be required.”
Mr Lowe pointed to the time lapse between the alleged incident and the complaint, describing the move as a “malicious attempt to drag my name through the mud”.
“A complete inability to accept even the most mild constructive criticism without such a malicious reaction is not effective leadership,” he said.
Mr Farage said that a King’s Counsel had been appointed by the party last week to look at the bullying complaints made by two separate women working for Mr Lowe.
It comes after internal splits within the right-wing party, which has five MPs, opened up on Thursday as Mr Lowe told the Daily Mail that Reform remains a “protest party led by the Messiah” under Nigel Farage.
Asked whether the former Ukip leader had the potential to become prime minister, as his supporters have suggested, Mr Lowe said: “It’s too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods. He can only deliver if he surrounds himself with the right people.”
On Friday, the party claimed it had received complaints from two women, one working in Mr Lowe’s parliamentary office and one in his constituency office, about his behaviour.
It claimed evidence was provided of the “targeting of female staff who raised concerns” and of remarks “including reference to a perceived disability”, and suggested allegations had also been made to parliamentary authorities.
“We feel we have a duty of care to all our staff, whether employed directly or indirectly,” the statement from Mr Yusuf and chief whip Lee Anderson said.
“Accordingly, we appointed an independent King’s Counsel to conduct an investigation into the veracity of these complaints. To date, Mr Lowe has yet to co-operate with this investigation.”
Reform later confirmed that Mr Lowe had lost the whip.
I am disappointed, but not surprised, to read Reform’s untrue and false allegations. Let me be abundantly clear - this investigation is based on zero credible evidence against me, as has been repeatedly stated by the neutral investigator. None has been provided.
— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) March 7, 2025
I have…
The MP said he had been “pushing for progress behind closed doors” within the party for months before speaking publicly, and complained that “the day after, I find a knife in my back over false allegations.”
He claimed he had spoken at length with a senior barrister hired by the party to look into what he described as “a minor staff matter”.
Mr Lowe said he would be “seeking legal advice immediately”, adding: “I have just spoken to the KC. She is dismayed that this statement has been made, and reiterated that no evidence against me has been sent to her.
“She stated that this has been issued before the investigation has even started.”
