Rupert Lowe 'keeping options open' after ousting by Reform UK

Ousted Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe has told Sky News he has not ruled out joining the Conservatives or a new political party, declaring: "I'm keeping my options open."

Mr Lowe answered a series of questions from Sky News after the latest twist in his feud with Nigel Farage, with a police investigation launched into claims he threatened party chairman Zia Yusuf.

The Metropolitan Police announced it had launched an investigation "into an allegation of a series of verbal threats made by a 67-year-old man" between December 2024 and February 2025.

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Responding to the police statement, Mr Lowe said he had instructed lawyers, who had made contact with the Met and made them aware of his willingness to co-operate in any necessary investigation.

"My lawyers have not yet received any contact from the police," he said.

"It is highly unusual for the police to disclose anything to the media at this stage of an investigation.

"I remain unaware of the specific allegations, but in any event, I deny any wrongdoing. The allegations are entirely untrue."

Could Lowe join Tories?

Later, Sky News asked the Great Yarmouth MP if he thought there was a way back into Reform UK for him or was this the end - and if he might join the Tories or a new political party.

"This has all happened over a few days," Mr Lowe replied.

"I have been focused on debunking these false and damaging allegations. Who knows what will happen? I'm keeping my options open."

In an interview on Monday, Mr Lowe said: "I was a Tory years ago. I think the Tories have got a lot of work to do. I think there's some extremely good Tory MPs. I get on with a lot of them."

For the Conservatives, the shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: "He hasn't applied but obviously we're a broad and welcoming political party."

He told Times Radio: "People have been joining the Conservatives from across the political spectrum and we always welcome new joiners."

Read more:
Reform reports Rupert Lowe to police
The Reform row: What has happened and what has been said?

New splinter group?

And 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 "good friend" and he was "constantly in touch with" him.

Sky News also asked Mr Lowe who he blamed for the party's treatment of him, including throwing him out of the party after he criticised Mr Farage. Was Mr Farage or Mr Yusuf to blame?

"Honestly, all of them," he said.

"This was a team effort to blacken my name. If it wasn't for my presence on X, I would have been buried under the false allegations. For that, I have to thank Elon Musk."

He was asked about Mr Farage quoting Labour minister Mike Kane claiming after a heated Commons clash with Mr Lowe in December: "The anger displayed towards me clearly showed a man not in charge of his own faculties."

In a Sunday Telegraph article, Mr Farage added: "I never saw anything like it in the European Parliament in 2019 when I was the leader of the Brexit Party and Mr Lowe was an MEP colleague."

In response, Mr Lowe told Sky News: "Reform sources have been briefing that I have dementia. This is the single most appalling thing I have ever seen in politics.

"Anyone who has known someone who has suffered so hideously from dementia will understand just how offensive it is. It shows the type of people we are dealing with."

In the same article, Mr Farage claimed there had been "too many similar outbursts from Mr Lowe, often involving the use of inappropriate language to the despair of our chief whip, Lee Anderson".

Mr Lowe hit back, telling Sky News: "More baseless nonsense, spouted out to tarnish my reputation. Their malicious witch-hunt has fallen apart."

Last year, when Mr Anderson was Conservative Party deputy chairman, he apologised after parliament's watchdog on bullying and harassment found he told a security guard to "f*** off, everyone opens the door to me".

He was found to have twice sworn at the security officer and acted in a way that "constituted bullying and also harassment" in breach of parliament's behaviour policy, an independent expert panel concluded.

(c) Sky News 2025: Rupert Lowe 'keeping options open' after ousting by Reform UK