Kenya, March 11 -- Rupert Lowe, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Great Yarmouth from the Reform UK party, has been suspended due to serious accusations of bullying and threats of violence. This has intensified his ongoing disagreement with the party leader, Nigel Farage.

On Friday, March 7, it was announced that Lowe will no longer be part of the party and will serve as an independent MP. An investigation is being conducted by a lawyer to look into the claims against him.

The problems started when two female employees complained about "serious bullying" and "rude comments" in Lowe's office at Parliament.

The party also reported him to the police, saying he made threats against their chairman, Zia Yusuf.

Lowe, a wealthy businessman and former Brexit Party member, has strongly denied these accusations. He called them a "malicious attack" and claimed that they are part of a "witch hunt" because of his criticisms of Farage's leadership.

Tensions escalated when Lowe and Farage exchanged strong words in articles published in The Sunday Telegraph on March 9. Farage accused Lowe of having many outbursts and not getting along with other Reform MPs.

In response, Lowe said the party was trying to silence him and criticized Farage's way of leading the party. He also invited Farage to dinner to talk things over, but this gesture was met with doubt due to the growing disagreement.

The situation has shown divisions within Reform UK, with deputy leader Richard Tice supporting Lowe's suspension as a necessary action for the party's well-being.

On Sky News, Tice denied that the party was acting in a harsh way, saying, "This is not like Putin's tactics-it's about being professional." Meanwhile, chief whip Lee Anderson stated that the party "cannot function" with Lowe as an MP unless he helps with the investigation.

People in Great Yarmouth have mixed feelings about the news. Some were shocked by what happened, while others still supported Lowe, who won his seat with 35% of the votes in July 2024.

The lawyer in charge of the investigation contradicted Lowe's claims, stating that she found evidence against him, which adds to the confusion surrounding the situation.

As Reform UK deals with this issue, experts say that this public argument could harm the party's unity and reputation as they prepare for upcoming elections.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.