London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Aug 11, 2026

Rupert Lowe's Political Future in Flux Amid Reform UK Split

Rupert Lowe's Political Future in Flux Amid Reform UK Split

Ousted MP Rupert Lowe considers joining forces with former party members after accusations of misconduct and internal strife within Reform UK.
Rupert Lowe, the ousted MP from Reform UK, is reportedly contemplating aligning with a breakaway right-wing party, following his recent removal from the party amid allegations of bullying and threats against party chair Zia Yusuf, claims which he denies.

This development comes as former Reform deputy leader Ben Habib, who also exited the party under contentious circumstances, expressed a willingness to collaborate with Lowe in a new political venture.

Lowe was stripped of the party whip last week after publicly criticizing Nigel Farage's leadership style, which he characterized as 'messianic'.

His comments have added to the tensions within Reform UK, especially as the party prepares for important local elections in May and a byelection in Runcorn and Helsby—critical moments for demonstrating the party's viability in the current political landscape.

Habib, a former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Brexit Party, left Reform last year due to dissatisfaction with its governance.

He indicated that he and Lowe share common objectives in their political engagement.

Habib has stated that he feels there is no path back to Reform for Lowe, yet emphasized that Lowe retains considerable support among constituents, declaring that 'the country is crying out for people who are solid'.

Prominent figures have speculated about Lowe’s potential leadership prospects within the party.

Notably, Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, suggested Lowe could be a successor to Farage.

Musk's remarks purportedly arose from his critique of Farage's refusal to endorse right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, whose legal battles have drawn significant public and media attention.

Sources indicate that Musk may be interested in funding a new party with a hardline stance, particularly focused on issues such as mass deportations, in which Lowe has expressed interest.

This potential development could realign right-wing factions in UK politics.

Lowe's constituency team publicly supported him, alleging that the internal processes meant to safeguard party staff had been exploited against him.

They questioned the timing and nature of the accusations leveled at Lowe and expressed their distrust in the motives behind the ongoing investigation.

In a recent YouTube interview, Lowe was non-committal about his future political affiliations, stating he was exploring several options including potential ties to the Conservative Party or UKIP. He voiced concerns about being marginalized due to his potential to challenge Farage's leadership, suggesting that a history of conflict exists between Farage and those he perceives as rivals, who often find themselves at odds with the party leader.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Manufacturing Output Records Fourth Straight Month of Growth
UK Condemns Russian Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners and Recruitment of Foreign Nationals
Long-Lost Royal Navy Warship HMS Tiger Found in English Channel After 118 Years
Northern Ireland Finance Minister Seeks Urgent Treasury Talks Over Regional Budget Pressures
UK Government Targets Subscription Traps and Misleading Discounts in New Consumer Rules
Alleged Cartel Boss Daniel Kinahan Extradited From Dubai to Face Criminal Charges
AI Chatbots Challenge Traditional News Consumption and Raise Job Concerns
Andy Burnham Government Promises Crackdown on Exploitative Business Practices
UK University Funding Model Faces Growing Pressure From Unsustainable Student Debt
Government Urged to Subsidise Energy Bills for Vulnerable UK Households
UK Military Spending Plans Threaten to Deepen Infrastructure Funding Gap
Israeli Government Rejects US Peace Framework for Gaza
New Labour Government Signals Closer Economic and Strategic Ties With European Union
Amber Heat-Health Alerts Issued Across England as Temperatures Threaten 36 Degrees
UK Economy Expected to Grow Despite Energy and Supply Chain Shock From Iran Conflict
Foreign Social Media Accounts Drove Disinformation During Belfast and Southampton Riots
Record Number of Migrants Cross English Channel in Single Vessel as Smugglers Deploy Mega-Dinghies
Russia’s A7 Builds a State-Linked Payments Network Beyond Western Sanctions
Reports of Mark Zuckerberg-Linked Superyacht Declining Rescue Assistance Draw Maritime Scrutiny
Preserving Three Banksy Artworks in London Has Cost Taxpayers Nearly £150,000
Four Ugandan Athletes Disappear From Delegation After UK Sporting Events
French Authorities Report Channel Interventions as Cross-Border Migration Dispute Continues
Home Office Admits Error in Settled Status Case Involving Long-Term Italian Resident
Unite Calls for Independent Review of UK Budget Watchdog's Fiscal Forecasting Rules
Thinktank Calls for £175 Annual Energy Bill Cut for Low-Income Households
Foreign-Linked Social Media Accounts Amplified Recent Unrest in Belfast and Southampton, Analysis Finds
London Mayor Sadiq Khan Orders Westminster to Drop Proposed Soho and West End Hospitality Ban
Royal Navy Deployments to Monitor Russian Activity in UK Waters Rise 25 Percent
UK Economy Expected to Grow 0.4 Percent in Second Quarter Despite Geopolitical Pressures
Andy Burnham Launches Cost-of-Living Measures Targeting Subscription Traps and Misleading Discounts
Hyper-Realistic Reborn Dolls Draw Collectors Seeking Comfort and Craft
Gen Z Cuts Back on Dating as a Night Out Nears $200
Patients Turn to Artificial Intelligence for Therapy as Psychiatrists Warn of Privacy and Clinical Risks
Couples Embrace ‘Sleep Divorce’ to Protect Rest and Reduce Tension
Meta Ordered to Pay $567 Million and Change Facebook and Instagram Safeguards for Children
Up to only 10 Months in Prison for Swedish Officer’s Murderer Sparks Anger
Success: Nvidia Turned Gaming Chips Into the Engine of the AI Boom
Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi’s Father and Longtime Agent, Dies at 68
AI’s Next Bottleneck Is Power, Not Just Nvidia Chips
Advertising trick: Pepsi’s Harrier Jet Commercial Led to a $700,000 Court Fight
Meta Raises AI Spending Target to as Much as $145bn Despite Pressure Over Returns
Danube Drought Exposes Nazi Wrecks and Pushes Central Europe’s Power System to the Brink
Joe Biden’s Cancer Has Spread Beyond His Bones, Hunter Biden Says
Air Traffic Control Outage Grounded Flights Across the Midwest
Why 2027 Could Be a Strong Year for Stocks—and Why the Forecast Is Fragile
Why Markets May Look Quiet in August After Big Tech Earnings
Partial Solar Eclipse Expected to Draw Interest Across Southwestern UK
UK Graduate Job Postings Fall 7% as Entry-Level Opportunities Remain Scarce
UK Private Sector Returns to Growth as July Activity Reaches Highest Level Since April
UK Summer Drought and Wildfires Raise Pressure for Stronger Environmental Measures
×