The anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage said on Friday that he had referred one of his legislators to the police for having pretended to have pretended to be a superior colleague, in the greatest crisis to reach the British insurgent right party since his success in the general elections of last year.
In a statement, the party, Reform UK, said that the legislator, Rupert Lowe, had been accused of having made “threats of physical violence” against the president of the reform, Zia Yusuf. The party also said that he was investigating complaints that Mr. Lowe had intimidated staff members and that he had suspended him.
In a statement published on social networks on Friday, Mr. Lowe, 67, denied allegations, adding that it was not “surprising” to submit “vexatious” complaints after recently made critical comments on Mr. Farage and party structures.
In recent months, Reform UK has increased in opinion poll, going beyond the main conservative party of the opposition and approaching the governor Labor Party, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
But in the past, the parties led by Mr. Farage proved to be subject to internal divisions, and the drama suggested on Friday that Reform UK could follow the same model.
The new explosive developments seemed to excite the growing tension between Mr. Lowe, a businessman and the former president of Southampton FC Soccer Club, and Mr. Farage, reform of the charismatic but divided chief of Reform UK.
Mr. Farage had campaigned for Brexit and helped the party to win 14% of the votes in the general elections of last year – propelling it to the avant -garde of the country’s policy.
Mr. Lowe, who represents Great Yarmouth on the eastern coast of England, was congratulated by technological billionaire Elon Musk, who this year withdrawn from Mr. Farage and said that the reform leader of the United Kingdom “does not have what to”.
Mr. Musk did not explain his reasoning. But it seemed to be linked to Mr. Farage’s refusal to support the billionaire’s demand that a far -right agitator, Tommy Robinsonbe released from prison. Mr. Farage moved away from Mr. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and who has several criminal convictions and a history of Islamophobic statements.
Mr. Lowe directly criticized Mr. Farage in a recent interview with The Daily MailArguing that Reform UK remained a “protest party led by the Messiah” under his leader.
Mr. Farage, asked in a television interview why he thought that Mr. Lowe had made his comments, “replied:” Maybe he wanted to be Prime Minister. Most people in politics do it.
In his statement, Reform UK said he had appointed a principal lawyer to investigate the accusations that Mr. Lowe had intimidated two employees in the offices in Parliament and his constituency.
“Evidence has been provided against intimidation in the workplace, targeting women who have raised concerns and evidence of derogatory and discriminatory remarks made on women, including the reference to a perceived handicap,” said the press release.
He added: “In addition to these allegations of worrying behavior, Mr. Lowe has at least two times threatened with physical violence against our party president. As a result, this case is with the police. »»
In his response on social networks, Mr. Lowe said that “the allegations of physical threats are scandalous and entirely false” and that a “member of the staff in question has only raised a vexatious complaint only once disciplinary procedures had been initiated against them for a serious act.” He also said that “the other person mentioned abandoned his call”.
Mr. Lowe suggested that party action was an unjustified response to his criticism of Mr. Farage and that “a complete inability to accept even the lightest constructive criticism without such a malicious reaction is not effective leadership”.
Reform UK denied any link. “The investigation into very serious allegations was launched long before its interview with the Daily Mail,” the party said in a statement.
