Nigel Farage has fired back at Rupert Lowe, his fellow Reform UK MP, after Lowe suggested that Farage’s “messianic qualities” might not make him an effective leader. The exchange has exposed a growing divide within the party, just months after Reform UK secured a historic breakthrough in Parliament.
Speaking in an interview, Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe expressed doubts about Farage’s leadership and insisted that the party needed a clear, structured plan to overhaul governance before the next election. “It’s too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods,” Lowe remarked, adding that Farage needed to surround himself with “the right people” and learn to delegate.
He continued, “Nigel is fiercely independent and extremely good at what we have done so far. He has got messianic qualities. Will those messianic qualities distil into sage leadership? I don’t know.”
Farage dismisses criticism, stresses personal influence
Farage, never one to shy away from a political spat, dismissed Lowe’s remarks outright. Speaking to TalkTV, he insisted that without his personal appeal, Reform UK would not have won any of its five parliamentary seats in the July election.
“There wouldn’t have been a cat’s chance in hell of Rupert Lowe winning his seat without my personal following,” Farage declared. “Reform UK is not a protest party – it’s making great strides.”
When asked whether Lowe would remain part of the party by the next general election, Farage offered a guarded response, saying:
“Well, I hope so. But he seems to be taking a tone that says he might not accept us.”
Elon Musk’s involvement and the growing rift
Lowe’s criticism follows an unexpected about-turn by Elon Musk in his stance towards Farage. In January, the tech billionaire tweeted that Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead Reform UK, seemingly hinting that Lowe would be a better alternative.
“I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read make a lot of sense,” Musk wrote.
The remark added fuel to speculation about divisions within Reform UK, particularly regarding its future direction. Lowe has argued that Reform needs to transition from a “protest party led by the Messiah” into a structured political force with a frontbench team.
Calls for reform UK to develop a clear strategy
Lowe has insisted that Reform UK’s future success depends on more than just Farage’s charisma. He warned that he would not stand by Farage’s side at the next election unless there was a proper plan for governance.
“I’m not going to be by Nigel’s side at the next election unless we have a proper plan to change the way we govern from top to bottom,” Lowe said.
His comments highlight concerns that Reform’s surge in popularity has not yet been matched by a well-defined policy agenda. While the party has tapped into public dissatisfaction with the Conservatives and Labour, it faces challenges in converting this momentum into long-term political influence.
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Funding questions and billionaire backers
The split within the party comes amid questions about Reform UK’s financial backing. Recent figures revealed that the party secured £280,000 in donations in the last quarter of 2024, significantly less than the £2 million received by the Conservatives and the £1 million raised by Labour.
However, Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy has previously claimed that the party has wealthy donors waiting in the wings. Farage and Candy met Elon Musk at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in December, fuelling speculation that the billionaire could provide financial support.
Despite this, Musk has not publicly committed to backing Reform UK, and his recent criticism of Farage has cast further doubt on the strength of their relationship.
A party at a crossroads?
The public clash between Farage and Lowe underscores the challenges Reform UK faces in establishing itself as a serious political force. While Farage remains a divisive yet powerful figure, his leadership style and the party’s direction are clearly under debate.
If Reform UK is to build on its electoral success, it will need to resolve internal tensions, develop a clearer policy platform, and secure financial backing. Whether it can achieve this without fracturing remains to be seen.
