Reform UK’s chief whip Lee Anderson has opened up about the “deeply painful” decision to suspend Rupert Lowe over allegations of “serious bullying” and threats of physical violence.
The Ashfield MP, who penned a statement alongside Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf last night, released an update just hours after the populist party was plunged into a civil war.
Anderson claimed: “I have a great deal of respect for Rupert Lowe and as his Chief Whip I have bent over backwards to be fair with him since he entered Parliament.
“But his unwillingness to cooperate in an investigation into his behaviour has meant the Parliamentary party cannot function effectively whilst Rupert is a Reform UK MP.
“There is far too much at stake and by not taking decisive action we would risk losing everything we have built up.
“I bare no malice towards Rupert and to remove the whip was a deeply painful thing to do, but delivering for our country must come first and no man is bigger than our party.”