Nigel Farage will lead a Reform UK press conference as the party grapples with a bitter feud that threatens the group’s soaring popularity.
The Reform leader will be joined by MPs Richard Tice, Lee Anderson, James McMurdock and chairman Zia Yusuf at the Royal Horseguards Hotel, London.
It comes as Techne’s weekly tracker poll for The Independent has shown Reform falling to its lowest point since January in the wake of Mr Farage’s suspension of fellow Reform MP Rupert Lowe over claims that he made threats against Mr Yusuf.
Police are investigating claims of “verbal threats” allegedly made by MP Rupert Lowe. He denies the allegations.
Mr Lowe claimed Mr Farage threw him out of Reform because he had challenged Mr Farage’s leadership, deriding him as a “Messiah.”
Tensions between Mr Lowe and Mr Farage have simmered since Elon Musk said last year that the former Southampton chairman would be a better Reform leader than Mr Farage.
Meanwhile, the government is expected to set out plans for welfare reform in an effort to get more people back to work and cut the cost of a benefits bill.
The move has angered MPs within Labour’s ranks, with veteran left-winger Diane Abbott warning that reducing benefits is “not a Labour thing to do”.
Coming up | Reform UK press conference
Nigel Farage will lead a Reform UK press conference as the party grapples with a bitter feud that threatens the group’s soaring popularity.
The Reform leader will be joined by MPs Richard Tice, Lee Anderson, James McMurdock and chairman Zia Yusuf at the Royal Horseguards Hotel, London.
It comes as Techne’s weekly tracker poll for The Independent has shown Reform falling to its lowest point since January in the wake of Mr Farage’s suspension of fellow Reform MP Rupert Lowe over claims that he made threats against Mr Yusuf.
A police investigation has been launched into claims of “verbal threats” allegedly made by MP Rupert Lowe.
The 67-year-old MP for Great Yarmouth was suspended by Reform UK amid allegations about his conduct, which he denies.
Reform said Mr Lowe had been reported to the police over alleged “threats of physical violence” to party chairman Zia Yusuf.
It also claimed that two women working in the MP’s offices had made complaints about “workplace bullying” and “derogatory remarks”.
Mr Lowe has strenuously denied the claims.
Jabed Ahmed17 March 2025 11:16