Nigel Farage called Rupert Lowe’s alleged behaviour “disgusting” and “contemptible” in leaked WhatsApp messages, according to the BBC.
Lowe was suspended from Farage’s Reform UK earlier this month following accusations of workplace bullying and threats of physical violence towards the party chairman. He denies all the allegations against him.
Reform UK’s decision to oust the MP for Great Yarmouth, hire a KC to investigate the claims and report him to the police came hours after Lowe told the Daily Mail that Reform was “a protest party” led by “the Messiah” – Farage.
Reform has insisted that its suspension of Lowe is completely separate to the MP’s criticisms of party leader Farage.
Even so, the two men have exchanged furious insults since the incident, with Lowe accusing Farage of a “malicious witch hunt”.
The BBC has now reported that, in an private exchange shortly after the then-Reform UK MP publicly criticised the party’s leadership, Farage accused Lowe of “damaging the party just before elections”.
Speaking with a source who worked recently with Lowe, Farage said the Great Yarmouth MP was “damaging the party just before elections. Disgusting.”
The Clacton MP went on: “He is contemptible. Thousands of people working hard for May 1st. The KC inquiry was the right thing to do no question. Reputation of the party must be protected.”
He added: “In 30 years I have never seen worse.”
Reform UK’s first major electoral test since securing five MPs in July will come in the May local elections. The party is hoping to win big after significant success in the polls where it has rivalled Labour and the Tories.
Responding to the leaked messages, Farage told the BBC: “The suspension was to protect the party, simple. The newspaper attack on Reform UK is separate but dreadful.”
But Lowe claimed this text exchange proved the Daily Mail interview was the reason behind his removal from the party.
“That interview is why they designed and launched their horrific smear campaign against my name. It is evil behaviour,” he told the broadcaster. “Nigel Farage must never be prime minister. All I have done is tell the truth, and I will continue to do so.”
The BBC report came after it emerged that Farage had travelled to the US for his eighth trip since being elected to represent Clacton in July.
He was scheduled to be the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for Florida Republicans’ ‘Disruptors’ dinner. Seats cost up to $25,000 (£19,000).
Meanwhile, as Farage repeatedly denies that Reform is “riven with in-fighting”, a Tory shadow minister, Greg Smith, has hinted at a partnership between the Conservatives and Reform UK.
Even though Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has repeatedly rejected such an idea, Smith He told TalkTV: “I think if we want to get rid of socialism from this country, there may well be a point where the right-of-centre parties have to play nicely.”