Rupert Lowe says Nigel Farage ‘must never be PM’ in latest attack amid leaks of claimed WhatsApp messages

Ousted Reform MP Rupert Lowe has said Nigel Farage must “never be prime minister” after leaked messages came to light reigniting the party’s internal row.

Mr Lowe, now the independent MP for Great Yarmouth, launched his latest attack on Reform’s “rotten and deceitful” leadership after a private WhatsApp conversation between Mr Farage and a party activist was leaked to the BBC.

In the messages, Mr Farage is alleged to have called Mr Lowe “disgusting” and “contemptible” after he gave an interview to the Daily Mail that was critical of his leadership.

He also allegedly claimed that Mr Lowe’s motivation for the interview was “damaging the party just before elections – disgusting”.

In a post on social media, Mr Lowe said the alleged leaked messages “prove that he [Mr Farage] kicked me out of the party and launched this malicious witch hunt because I dared to ask reasonable questions of Reform”.

“His visceral hatred of me is evident, particularly following the Daily Mail interview,” Mr Lowe continued.

“Farage has admitted himself, in writing, that the motivation behind my removal was the Daily Mail interview, in which I raised reasonable and constructive questions of Reform structure, policy and communication – following months of pushing for change behind the scenes.

“That interview is why they designed and launched their horrific smear campaign against my name. It is evil behaviour.

“Nigel Farage must never be prime minister. All I have done is tell the truth, and I will continue to do so.”

The row erupted after Mr Lowe’s interview with the Daily Mail, in which Mr Lowe said it was “too early to know” if Mr Farage will become prime minister and warned Reform remains a “protest party led by the Messiah” under the Clacton MP.

He also claimed that he was “barely six months into being an MP” himself and “in the betting to be the next prime minister”.

Reform UK then announced that it had referred the Great Yarmouth MP to police and suspended him, alleging he made “verbal threats” against chairman Zia Yousaf.

The Met has launched an investigation into these claims, which Mr Lowe has vehemently denied.

Reform has also claimed it has received complaints from two female employees about serious bullying in Mr Lowe’s constituency office – which the MP has also strenuously denied, saying they do not relate to him and were made by staff who themselves faced disciplinary action.

On the allegations against the employees in his constituency office, Mr Lowe said he would “not be engaging” with the Reform “investigation”, arguing they were “blatantly vexatious complaints” made by former employees who themselves “admitted serious offences” and were subject to disciplinary processes.

“There is no credible evidence of any ‘bullying’ by anybody, because there was none,” he wrote in his social media post. “This has been weaponised in a desperate attempt to smear my name.”

He added: “If am contacted by the independent parliamentary authorities, I will fully cooperate with them. I have heard nothing from any relevant parliamentary body, nor have my team”.

Last week Sky News reported that Mr Lowe is consulting lawyers about taking possible libel action against Reform UK, for making “untrue and false allegations” about him.

Mr Lowe, the former chair of Southampton Football Club, has not ruled out joining the Conservatives or another political party.

Mr Farage has said there is “no way back” for the suspended MP and has accused him of being “out to cause maximum damage” to Reform UK.