{"id":257698,"date":"2025-03-12T18:33:09","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T18:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/12\/ousted-reform-mp-rupert-lowe-consulting-lawyers-over-libel-action-sky-news-understands\/"},"modified":"2025-03-12T18:33:09","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T18:33:09","slug":"ousted-reform-mp-rupert-lowe-consulting-lawyers-over-libel-action-sky-news-understands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/12\/ousted-reform-mp-rupert-lowe-consulting-lawyers-over-libel-action-sky-news-understands\/","title":{"rendered":"Ousted Reform MP Rupert Lowe consulting lawyers over libel action, Sky News understands"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align:center\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/e3.365dm.com\/25\/03\/768x432\/skynews-richard-tice-reform-uk_6850962.jpg?20250309095103&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"Ousted Reform MP Rupert Lowe consulting lawyers over libel action, Sky News understands\" title=\"Ousted Reform MP Rupert Lowe consulting lawyers over libel action, Sky News understands\" \/><\/div><p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component-name=\"ui-article-body\" data-highlight-intro=\"true\">\n<p>Rupert Lowe is consulting lawyers about taking possible libel action against Reform UK, Sky News understands.<\/p>\n<p>The Great Yarmouth MP has accused the party of making &#8220;untrue and false allegations&#8221; about him after he criticised leader Nigel Farage in the media, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/video\/the-reform-uk-row-whats-happened-and-whats-been-said-13325926\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sparking a bitter public row.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Politics Live: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/politics-latest-live-starmer-ukraine-zelenskyy-war-trump-welfare-cuts-12593360\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Starmer promises to &#8216;keep all options on the table&#8217; after UK hit by Trump tariffs on steel<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A day after the 67-year-old questioned whether Mr Farage could make it as prime minister,<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/topic\/reform-uk-10994\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Reform UK<\/a><\/strong> announced on Friday it had referred him to police and suspended him, alleging he made &#8220;verbal threats&#8221; against chairman Zia Yousaf.<\/p>\n<p>The Met <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/met-police-launches-investigation-into-suspended-reform-mp-rupert-lowe-over-verbal-threats-13326300\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">has launched an investigation into these claims<\/a><\/strong>, which Mr Lowe has vehemently denied.<\/p>\n<p>Reform has also claimed it has received complaints from two female employees about serious bullying in Mr Lowe&#8217;s constituency office.<\/p>\n<p>The now independent MP has strenuously denied these claims as well, saying the allegations do not relate to him and were made by staff who themselves faced disciplinary action.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Lowe believes he is the victim of a &#8220;witch hunt&#8221; after speaking out against the party&#8217;s leadership in an interview with the Daily Mail that was published last week, in which he challenged Mr Farage&#8217;s &#8220;messianic&#8221; tendencies.<\/p>\n<p>He has not ruled out<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/rupert-lowe-keeping-options-open-after-ousting-by-reform-uk-13326594\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> joining the Conservatives or another political party<\/a><\/strong>, while Mr Farage has said there is &#8220;no way back&#8221; for the suspended MP and accused him of being &#8220;out to cause maximum damage&#8221; to Reform UK.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sdc-article-widget sdc-site-video callfn\" data-account-id=\"6058004172001\" data-amp-iframe-embed=\"\" data-asset-id=\"36fb7454-a9cb-4377-883e-739a47142448\" data-asset-path=\"\" data-asset-version=\"\" data-autoplay=\"false\" data-auth-config=\"\" data-caption=\"Lowe suspension was 'right judgement'\" data-clip-type=\"\" data-component-name=\"sdc-site-video\" data-component-name-alias=\"ui-sitewide-video\" data-competition=\"\" data-copy-url-text=\"URL copied to clipboard\" data-fn=\"sdc-site-video\" data-id=\"id_36fb7454-a9cb-4377-883e-739a47142448\" data-is-live-stream=\"false\" data-lite=\"true\" data-options=\"\" data-originator-id=\"51\" data-originator-handle=\"brightcove-news-gb\" data-package-name=\"\" data-provider=\"brightcove\" data-player-id=\"yjBoKQ5XA\" data-playsinline=\"\" data-sensitive=\"false\" data-sdc-id=\"6850945\" data-sdc-video-id=\"36fb7454-a9cb-4377-883e-739a47142448\" data-sport-category=\"\" data-state=\"loading\" data-token-state=\"none\" data-video-ad-unit=\"\" data-video-blacklisted-originator-ids=\"\" data-video-id=\"ref:36fb7454-a9cb-4377-883e-739a47142448\" data-video-type=\"\" data-auto-pause-on-not-visible=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-closed-captions-position=\"middle-third\" data-show-closed-captions=\"true\" data-show-pip=\"true\" data-show-live-stream-scrubber=\"true\" data-autoload=\"false\">\n<div class=\"sdc-site-video__inner\">\n<div class=\"sdc-site-video__content\" data-role=\"bridge-controller\" style=\"padding-bottom: calc(100% \/ ());\">\n<p class=\"sdc-site-video__accessibility-message\" data-role=\"accessibility-message\">Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<\/p>\n<p>              <span aria-hidden=\"true\" data-role=\"poster\" class=\"sdc-site-video__poster\"><\/p>\n<p>              <span class=\"sdc-site-video__loader\"\/><br \/>\n                <span class=\"sdc-site-video__time\">9:16<\/span><br \/>\n              <\/span><\/p>\n<p>              <video id=\"id_36fb7454-a9cb-4377-883e-739a47142448\" data-embed=\"default\" data-application-id=\"\" class=\"video-js sdc-site-video__tag\" controls=\"\" playsinline=\"\"\/>\n            <\/div><figcaption class=\"sdc-site-video__caption ui-media-caption\">\n<p>              <span class=\"ui-media-caption__caption-text\" data-role=\"caption-text\">Lowe suspension was &#8216;right judgement&#8217;<\/span><br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The feud could deepen still with Mr Lowe now mulling legal action over claims made about him during the ongoing war of words, it is understood.<\/p>\n<p>The former Southampton FC chairman has accused Mr Farage of spreading &#8220;outright lies&#8221; after he told GB News that he &#8220;knows for a fact&#8221; Mr Lowe was informed of a parliamentary investigation into bullying allegations on 29 Feb and gave an interview with the Mail &#8220;shortly after that&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Mail, the interview was held on 25 February &#8211; days before Mr Lowe received a letter from Reform&#8217;s chief whip <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/topic\/lee-anderson-10610\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lee Anderson<\/a><\/strong> informing him of concerns over his conduct.<\/p>\n<p>The letter, seen by Sky News, was from Reform rather than parliament and says the parliamentary party has determined an independent investigation is the best course of action.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More:<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/starmer-disappointed-about-trump-steel-tariffs-and-says-all-options-on-the-table-13327021\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Starmer &#8216;disappointed&#8217; about Trump steel tariffs<\/a><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/all-404-labour-mps-summoned-to-downing-street-to-discuss-benefit-cuts-13326706\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Labour MPs criticise impending benefit cuts<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Mr Lowe has urged Mr Farage to &#8220;apologise, retract and correct the record,&#8221; posting on X: &#8220;To suggest I used the interview to deflect from any investigation is factually untrue. I have heard absolutely nothing from parliament about any of this.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Mr Lowe also denies claims made by Mr Anderson that he has not co-operated with the independent inquiry into his behaviour.<\/p>\n<p>Last night, seven members of his team put their names on a statement coming to Mr Lowe&#8217;s defence, saying he is a &#8220;good, decent and honest man&#8221;, that they have never witnessed &#8220;violent or vicious&#8221; behaviour and allegations of bullying are &#8220;robustly denied by all of us&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sdc-article-widget sdc-article-tweet\" data-component-name=\"sdc-article-tweet\" data-consent=\"pending\" data-vendor-name=\"twitter\">\n<section aria-label=\"Consent required\" class=\"ui-consent-roadblock\" data-component-name=\"ui-consent-roadblock\" data-aspect-ratio=\"\" style=\"--width: 7; --height:4;\">\n<div class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body\">\n        <span class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__title\">X<\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__description\" data-show-on-fallback=\"false\"><br \/>\n                This content is provided by <span class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__vendor-title\">X<\/span>, which may be using cookies and other technologies.<br \/>\n                To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.<br \/>\n                You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable <span class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__vendor-title\">X<\/span> cookies or to allow those cookies just once.<br \/>\n                You can change your settings at any time via the <a href=\"#privacy-options\">Privacy Options<\/a>.<br \/>\n            <\/span><br \/>\n            <span class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__description\" data-show-on-fallback=\"true\"><br \/>\n                Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to <span class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__vendor-title\">X<\/span> cookies.<br \/>\n                To view this content you can use the button below to allow <span class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__vendor-title\">X<\/span> cookies for this session only.<br \/>\n            <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__link-group\">\n                <a href=\"#\" class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__link ui-consent-roadblock-permanently\" data-single-click-vendor-name=\"twitter\" data-show-on-fallback=\"false\">Enable Cookies<\/a><br \/>\n                <a href=\"#\" class=\"ui-consent-roadblock-body__link ui-consent-roadblock-once\" data-single-click-vendor-name=\"twitter\">Allow Cookies Once<\/a>\n            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p>Sky News has contacted Reform UK for comment.<\/p>\n<p>The row poses danger for a party that has its sights on entering government at the next election after a meteoric rise in the polls.<\/p>\n<p>In his interview with the Mail, Mr Lowe said it was &#8220;too early to know&#8221; if Mr Farage will become prime minister and warned Reform remains a &#8220;protest party led by the Messiah&#8221; under the Clacton MP.<\/p>\n<p>He also claimed that he was &#8220;barely six months into being an MP&#8221; himself and &#8220;in the betting to be the next prime minister&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>During Mr Farage&#8217;s online <a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/farage-doesnt-have-what-it-takes-musk-says-reform-uk-needs-a-new-leader-13284086\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>falling out with Elon Musk<\/strong><\/a>, in which he said Reform needed a new leader, Mr Lowe drew praise from the Space X billionaire.<\/p>\n<p>In a move seen as a hint of a new splinter group, another ousted Reform UK politician, former deputy leader Ben Habib, told The Daily Telegraph that Mr Lowe was a &#8220;good friend&#8221; and he was &#8220;constantly in touch with&#8221; him.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/ousted-reform-mp-rupert-lowe-consulting-lawyers-over-libel-action-sky-news-understands-13327183\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rupert Lowe is consulting lawyers about taking possible libel action against Reform UK, Sky News understands. The Great Yarmouth MP has accused the party of making &#8220;untrue and false allegations&#8221; about him after he criticised leader Nigel Farage in the media, sparking a bitter public row. Politics Live: Starmer promises to &#8216;keep all options on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":257699,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/e3.365dm.com\/25\/03\/768x432\/skynews-richard-tice-reform-uk_6850962.jpg?20250309095103","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[603],"tags":[970,33690,10853,8894,196537,271,61864,1793,54808,2118,10852],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257698"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=257698"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257698\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":257700,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/257698\/revisions\/257700"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/257699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=257698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=257698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=257698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}