'Farage and Lowe need their heads banged together'

Nigel Farage, Reform Party leader and Clacton MP, suspended Rupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth, after it was alleged he had made "verbal threats"

A public spat involving the leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage and one of the party's other high-profile MPs has caught the attention of political figures as much as constituents.

Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe, now an Independent, was suspended by the party over an allegation of "verbal threats" – a claim which he has denied.

Farage, MP for Clacton, said the row had "dented" Reform's "unity" but wrote in The Telegraph that it would have been "inconceivable" not to take action.

The ordeal has since prompted the launch of a police investigation, but what do voters in each of their respective constituencies make of what has happened?

John Dupen said the Reform Party had become a "credible force" in UK politics

Reform UK won five out of 650 constituencies in the July 2024 general election, but with Lowe's suspension they now have four MPs in the House of Commons.

Mention of Lowe's election win has been removed from Reform UK's homepage list of the other four wins.

In Lowe's constituency on the Norfolk coast, retired police officer John Dupen, who voted for Reform, said he felt the row and in-fighting had "taken the impetus" out of the party.

"They were becoming a credible force, but I think Farage has done the right thing to remove him from the party, but mud sticks doesn't it?" he suggested.

"Farage is a man of conviction and if he says something, he normally does it.

"They could have done without it, but I think they will get around it and time will heal it."

Carmel Westgate said the dispute should have been handled behind closed doors

Lowe is accused of workplace bullying, and also of making threats of physical violence against the party's chairman Zia Yusuf.

The MP has said there was "zero credible evidence" against him, and claimed he was suspended in response to him previously criticising Farage in an interview.

The 67-year-old former chairman of Southampton FC also said he would be "seeking legal advice".

Great Yarmouth resident, Carmel Westgate, 67, said she believed Lowe was "a good man" who "stands by his words" and had tried to help the town.

"I personally don't think this should have been public and Nigel Farage should have come and met with Rupert and spoke with him behind closed doors," she said.

"You're innocent until proven guilty, but people will believe what they want to believe.

"Why has it all of a sudden come out now? Is it jealousy? Is it because he has spoken his mind? Is it because he is loved by a lot of people?"

Gloria Reynolds praised Lowe for the work he has done since being Great Yarmouth's MP

Gloria Reynolds, 78, agrees that "the job he was doing was fairly good" and said, "as a Christian", she would continue "praying for him".

"There is a lot of witch-hunting going on amongst the parties nowadays, but as long as he carries on doing a good job I can't see it makes any difference," she said.

"Nigel is Nigel and he is very full of himself I feel, but until we know the whole situation it is difficult to say."

Francis Baxter believes Lowe could be the victim of a set-up

Retired midwife, Francis Baxter, 70, did not vote for Lowe because of his association with Farage, but said since being voted in he had been "positive" for the coastal constituency, which also includes Hopton, Gorleston, Caister and Winterton.

She added: "I do think he is getting things moving and shaking up the area and I have quite admired what he has done.

"I feel quite strongly actually that he is being set up and that is quite a fashionable thing to do now.

"He might have done it, I don't know, but I feel there is more to it than meets the eye."

Christopher Lambert fears the row may destabilise Reform UK

Reform had been riding high in recent polls, but some now believe the spat could see its popularity decrease.

Christopher Lambert, 84, believes Farage has made the right decision in suspending Lowe.

"I think Nigel Farage's party has done exceptionally well until now, [but] when you get in-fighting in a party it does the party no good at all," he said.

"I am on the fence about Reform and I should think I will stay on the fence. I have seen many, many general elections, but where you get in-fighting it just kills it.

"I think the Conservatives and maybe Labour are rubbing their hands.

"I liked Nigel Farage and I still like him. He speaks as he feels it is, and I think he is good."

Further down the coast...

Clacton resident Dorothy King shared her views on Farage and Lowe's ongoing public row

Heading south along the east coast, we arrive the Essex constituency of Clacton, which also includes the towns of Frinton-on-Sea, Walton-on-the-Naze and the village of Jaywick.

Farage voter and Clacton resident, Dorothy King, 82, said: "It is probably a storm in a teacup to a certain extent and I cannot see what they are going to achieve by pushing each other about.

"I don't know where it will go and if they will keep their little argument going or if it will just peter out."

Kirby Cross resident Jan Green said she rarely saw Farage in the area

Jan Green, who lives in Kirby Cross next to Frinton, did not vote for Farage.

"I think they are behaving like children and are acting rather silly and I do not agree with it," she told the BBC.

"Both of them are very strong-willed people and I don't think either of them will back down.

"Farage is our MP here, although we don't see him."

Joan James said both Farage and Lowe needed to "get on with it"

Joan James, who lives in Walton-on-the-Naze, said Farage and Lowe needed "their heads banged together".

"They need to get on with it," she added.

Frinton resident Lorraine O'Louthlin, who voted for Labour last year, said Farage was "definitely" right to suspend Lowe.

"I think he has done good because some parties do not act on these things, but if someone has done wrong in the party then get rid of them," she said.

Frinton constituent Lorraine Rodwell said she would like Farage to "bring more shops" to the area

Frinton resident Lorraine Rodwell, meanwhile, described the spat as "boring".

"I can't say I have read about it because it is just boring news again," she said.

"I like Nigel Farage but I just wished we could see more of him in Clacton.

"You either like him or your loathe him, so I don't think this will affect the party."

Retired firefighter and Royal Navy veteran Malcolm Taylor, who lives in Holland-on-Sea, said he had not voted Reform, but supported Farage because "you get what you get and it's truthful".

"He doesn't hide and there is no need to lie because you will get to caught out," the 77-year-old said.

"So, I would take Nigel's side until it all comes out because Nigel has more to lose politically if he was to be in the wrong.

"I think he is good MP, but he goes along very quietly and does a lot that people don't know about."

Malcom Taylor said he supports Farage but had never voted for Reform

Rob Saunders said he wanted to see Farage become Prime Minister

Rob Saunders said he hoped the row did not disrupt the party "because we want Farage as the future prime minister."

"He is showing he is in charge and so far I think he has been very good as an MP - nobody can match him in the House when he speaks.

"You can't ask for more."

'Verbal threats'

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

"Further inquiries are ongoing at this stage," the force added.

In a statement published earlier on behalf of Lowe, his team said "any allegations of any bullying, against anyone, are robustly denied".

"Rupert is a good MP, a good boss, and a good man - he does not deserve what is happening to him," they said.