The Reform UK civil battle descended additional this morning as Richard Tice refused to substantiate whether or not Rupert Lowe can be welcomed again into the occasion if exonerated. The MP for Great Yarmouth had the whip eliminated on Friday, which means he’ll sit as an impartial after he was reported to the police over claims of alleged threats of bodily violence in direction of the occasion’s chairman.
The occasion additional claimed that two allegations of bullying had been made in opposition to the previous Southampton FC Chairman by feminine workers. Mr Lowe has denied any wrongdoing and claims that the timing of the allegations, which got here 24 hours after he seemingly criticised chief Nigel Farage, is “suspicious”. When requested if the door stays open to a return for Lowe, Mr Tice stated: “You have to be able to work with people. You have to be a team player.”
Interviewer Camilla Tominey responded: It’s a simple question, and I know you’re good at answering questions. Mr. Tice. If he’s exonerated, is he welcome back?”
Mr Tice refused to be drawn on the matter: “The whip has been withdrawn, and we wish workforce gamers that may unite.
“The whip has been withdrawn, and that should be the assumption. We’re driving forwards. We’re not holding back.
“We’ve got a job to do. We’ve got hundreds of seats to win in May. We’re not going to be distracted by this noise. And you know what? I don’t think the British people will be either.”
Last night, party leader Nigel Farage broke his silence on the matter, claiming that it threatened to derail his party’s plans to make huge gains in May’s local and Mayoral elections.
He wrote in the Telegraph: “Now, thanks to one of our MPs, Rupert Lowe, unloading a barrage of criticisms against our operations and its main actors, that sense of unity has been dented.
“The truth is that Mr Lowe has made some excellent interventions over the past eight months and helped to stimulate public debate on a range of pressing issues facing the country.
“What many people may not have realised, however, is that in that time he has also managed to fall out with all his parliamentary colleagues in one way or another. We did our best to keep a lid on things but, in the end, containment strategies invariably fail.”
Mr Lowe seemingly questioned Mr Farage’s management on Thursday, telling the Daily Mail: “I’m not going to be by Nigel’s side at the next election unless we have a proper plan to change the way we govern from top to bottom.”
The now-independent MP had as soon as been touted as a future chief of the occasion, drawing reward from Elon Musk within the wake of his public criticisms of Mr Farage’s suitability to guide the occasion he shaped.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated: “On Thursday 6 March we received an allegation of verbal threats made by a 67-year-old man on Friday 13 December 2024.
“Officers are finishing up an evaluation of the allegations to find out what additional motion could also be required.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2024742/richard-tice-rupert-lowe-reform