Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has said it was “right” to suspend the MP at the centre of bullying and threat allegations.
The party announced on Friday that they had reported Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe to police following allegations of bullying made by two women and threats made against Reform’s chair.
Many have questioned the timing of the announcement, as it came the day after Mr Lowe appeared to question Nigel Farage‘s leadership of the party. Mr Lowe has denied all the allegations.
Mr Tice was asked why the incidents have only come to light now, when complaint were made to police in December.
He told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “There’s been a variety of instances and you have to make difficult judgements through the process.
“But of course it’s unfortunate. Of course it’s difficult.
“But there are these allegations of bullying by two separate female members of staff to the parliamentary authorities. Those clearly have to be dealt with in the proper, responsible way.”
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He added: “Rupert has been doing some great work on a variety of important issues, but ultimately, if you can’t work with someone, if the situation becomes impossible, which regrettably… then you have to say, this is not going to end well.
“And so we made the right judgement.”
Mr Tice also pointed out that if the party had brushed the incident “under the carpet” or tried to cover it up, then “everyone would’ve been raging”.
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Asked if the situation was “fishy” due to the timing of the party’s pronouncement, Mr Tice strongly disagreed.
“The reality is, behind the scenes, there have been a number of difficulties and challenges, and you get to the point where you say, enough’s enough,” he said.
Mr Farage wrote in the Telegraph overnight, saying the party “did our best to keep a lid on things but, in the end, containment strategies invariably fail”.
Mr Tice said an incident with party chair Zia Yusuf recently was the catalyst for taking action against Mr Lowe.
Mr Lowe has vehemently denied the claims against him, and said he was targeted for challenging the way the party was being run.
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Posting on social media just before Mr Tice’s interview, Mr Lowe said this included his outspoken stance on wanting to deport all illegal migrants.
He said: “I have been warned by those at the top of Reform about my position on deportations. As you likely know from reading my extensive output on the subject, I did not listen to a word said.
“We need deportations, and lots of them.
“I make no apologies for stating that.”
