Nick, everything you say rings true with me. I resigned from office in my local branch a couple of weeks ago after having been treated appallingly by one of Zia & Nigel's young, wet behind the ears protégés. He just bombed in a by election on Thursday in what he himself described as one of the most winnable seats. The chair appointed me to be the candidate's campaign coordinator and I got zero cooperation from him. The campaign itself was abysmal. Done of the things he said at the recent branch meeting were cringingly embarrassing - completely forgetting who his audience was. He TOLD people what their concerns should be rather than taking the opportunity to ASK people. His Compua Sez data told him of an exponential increase in fly tipping and DV. He didn't offer any solutions to either of those problems, neither did it seem to occur to him that someone subject to DV in all likelihood would be in a coercively controlled relationship, so would they actually be allowed out to vote or complete their own postal vote? Unbelievable naiveté from a spoilt brat manchild obviously being financed by the Bank of Mum & Dad.
It was APPALLING and I conclude that his attitude had been handed down from the very top as our hero was working, tirelessly, 16 hour days, unpaid for over a year for Zia & Nigel. Certainly opened my eyes
Disillusionment is painful but because of the events of the last 24 hours, I feel totally vindicated. Very disappointing - and I don't believe a word of this nonsense about Rupert Lowe. He seems to me to be an honourable man.
Thanks for this, Nick. You are spot on. I feel devastated. They had such momentum. I find it hard to believe these allegations but in any event this has been handled so badly. To see the party, that I felt was our only hope against Starmer,tear themselves apart is so depressing.
I knew that Lowe's popularity would be an issue. He's a whirlwind, getting so much done and he's the ONLY MP speaking up for the forgotten majority. Tbh I wanted Reform's policies to be totally in line with what RL has been saying, but it seems he was speaking out of turn and becoming too popular. He has been treated very badly. I want this to blow over. I want them to recover from this. I fear they won't. I had so much hope for Reform. Terrible news.
What a b@lls-up. Yusuf should fall on his sword for this. Probably responsible anyway. How can we expect any other mp to cross the floor when they might get stabbed the way Rupert was. Ultimately Nige is to blame, that's two top level guys have been driven out of the party. A one-man band will never look like a credible government. Nige, you've got to change and you've got to get down on your knees and beg Rupert to come back. And then listen to him. He's way above the rest of you on policy.
Thanks Nick. I'm listening to this fresh off of last night Headliners, where I completely agreed with you. Without Rupert, they've lost my vote too, as he was the only politician that spoke for me. He's the only reason I became a member of Reform. How can anyone disagree with what Rupert said to Andrew Pierce though? He's right, Reform needs policy. Please don't everyone hate me, but I've never liked Farage. From my point of view, he likes the limelight way too much. I could never warm to him. I went to the conference in Surrey and as much as I want to, I simply cannot warm to him. Despite this, I still became a member. Farage also wants to keep migrants here, following his YouTube video. I was gobsmacked. So Nick, if there is no Centre, what is Farage, as I don't believe he's right wing. I feel he is fine with losing his morals for votes. What a shame. It consumed me all day yesterday. Then, I'm now angry about all the front pages. We are being bloody invaded and no one seems to give a shite! The danger this is putting us all in and changing our communities to the point of no return is devastating.
I might be wrong Nick, but when you mentioned that you were thinking about going into politics, Lowe might have been behind your thinking, so now what?
Well I had already been put off it anyway. But it’s true if people like Rupert struggle then so would I. And I’ve said a lot more ‘offensive’ things. Although I am better at not criticising my employer!
I totally agree, Rupert Lowe has been a breath of fresh air in a parliament of mostly low-grade idiots. I now feel politically homeless again. Something like this happening was the reason I refused to join Reform despite supporting and voting for them.
I was previously a member of the Conservatives (multiple times over the years) and was involved at the local level with campaigning and even standing for council elections. I left as a result of Boris’s betrayal and am very unlikely to join another party as I’ve seen how easy the back stabbing can begin.
It does however feel like someone is deliberately destroying Reform and any attempt to unite the disaffected right in this country. The increase in deep state propaganda in the last few weeks has been terrifying.
Rupert Lowe is the sort of politician who says what he thinks, and this is never going to translate into monolithic party cohesion required for government. The Tory Party have shown that mass appeal requires a ruthless suppression of individual beliefs in pursuit of the bigger goal. Four years is a long time for commentators to unpick the nuances and yawning gaps between a party leader's aspirations and political reality, and that process has already begun with Steven Edginton's interview with Farage, and Musk's subsequent commentary. Rupert Lowe expresses the view of everyman but parliament is comprised of cunning political operators, institutional hypocrites and chancers of all stripes. Which is why the right is fragmented into numerous outspoken truth-tellers and remains destined to protest status, while liberal democrats and the far-left swap power indefinitely.
I wish the ‘Like’ button was actually labelled ‘Agree’ because I completely agree with what you said, but I can’t say I like it. I also worry that this is the beginning of a process that could see Labour (or the wider left) in power for a very long time and ensure the complete destruction of what we think of as England and the UK. The population just seem as completely brainwashed as they were during the plandemic. There had appeared to be a good number of people waking up, but a few weeks of sustained propaganda has sent them straight back to sleep.
Britain is not the US. If it was, we could replace state apparatus after each election. We have the civil service, an organisation wedded to the status quo. It's unwilling or incapable of assessing the origins and impact of Covid response transparently, never mind legal and illegal immigration. While ever that obtains, the best hope for the right is getting behind one party, and sorting out the details later. I have never been a member of any political party, but that much is self-evident.
Part of this is the deliberate dumbing down and Pavlovian knee-jerk triggering of people with an attention span of 3 seconds. In print and the way it is verbally reported it looks and sounds like Rupert said Nigel thinks he is a messiah. But I think his use of messianic was a short way of saying he has a devoted following, which is not the same at all. And his later repetition was simply a loose referral back to that reference. It seems people want soundbites, not stream of consciousness conversations, where sometimes you could have said something better.
And FFS, what did he say about the necessary preparations for government that was untrue. They could’ve answered that he’s right but it is still too early and there are too few people of calibre yet to take on roles. But no. They shot the messenger.
Ben Habib (Treasury), Howard Cox (Transport) and now Rupert Lowe (Home Secretary); three potential frontbencher roles down the toilet.
And what have they got? Tice is a grey businessman, who supported the heinous Assisted Dying Bill; Lee Anderson revels in his roots but cannot rise above them; James McMurdock the invisible man. And Zia. He gave me the creeps from the start, and nothing to do with race. He talked a good talk but I have a pretty good track record on people and my sixth sense had him as a wrong-un. I couldn’t say why but his nastiness and accusations against Lowe the very day after the bust up, and jumping the gun on any inquiry, confirms it for me.
So sad because they just announced another winning policy: they will scrap ALL inheritance tax, not just for farmers. And that is lost in the death wish furore.
In a nutshell: Nigel cannot countenance criticism and the others are peeved because Rupert is showing them all up as not much cop.
UKIP has all but vanished publicly, but I do see some very pithy, punchy flash card like posts on social media, every one a direct hit, so I may waste my vote on them.
Not easy being on the UK right is it? Very depressing. I don't think there's time for another party to make a serious challenge at the next election, though there's some time for Reform to sort themselves out if they want to. I'm done with voting for fake conservatives. It's up to them really.
Hi Nick. I have been a longstanding member of Reform UK and previously of UKIP. I have been a local councillor for UKIP and stood for Parliament for Reform at the last election. Over the years, I have seen people leave or get forced out by Nigel. He seems to be worried that he will be eclipsed by talented individuals. This latest spat with Rupert is the most recent. I like Rupert very much and it will be a huge loss to the party. I am also concerned about the influence of the Chairman . He has suddenly appeared from nowhere and I wonder if it is some ego trip for him. In fairness, he has done a good job in professionalising the party at branch level. I will remain with Reform and carry on as chair of my local branch because there is really no other realistic alternative to save my country. I am concerned though and if this trend of ousting good people continues then I may need to reconsider
Nick, I agree with every word. I sat next to Nigel at one of his events and I agree with Rupert, he does have a messianic quality. My hope was that he would surround himself with capable people and gradually allow them to pick up the reins. That clearly isn't going to happen, he needs to be top dog, front and centre at all times. Where do we go from here?
Having given it more thought - and read a number of opinions on Twitter, (sorry Elon, X) I wonder if this might be a possible solution: either sack Zia or demand he resigns, Nigel welcomes Rupert back into the party - after he's been completely exonerated of course - and approaches Ben Habib to return as Chairman to install good governance. Then, democratise the party and let the membership decide who should be party leader. Whoever wins the leadership then has a legitimate mandate to lead and others will either have to fall into line or resign. This is the only reason I'm not actually cancelling my membership for the time being, so that I have a vote in any leadership contest. Very glad to be out of a very badly run branch though. What do others think?
Dont give up on the tories Nick - many of us inside the party have been as frustrated as you have been but Reform was never the answer. Best hope is tories getting act together
Mr Lowe makes a tacit assertion that the Reform Party is still politically immature and needs to improve…and how does the hierarchy respond?
Ad hominems, unskillful manoeuvring and barefaced cancelling of one of their greatest assets. In other words, actions that confirm Mr Lowe’s opinion. 😂. The complaint to the police is just laughable. No one believes that there is any substance to the complaints. These are the enemy’s tactics.
I never bought into Reform from the start; I couldn't ever quite explain exactly why, but it all just felt a little managed to me. The establishment needed to give something to the slowly-stirring right-of-centre, and up pops Reform with the people's favourite Farage. Farage himself is not right-wing, he's just not as far left as the rest of the system - if anyone doubts that they should make themselves aware of his comments over Southport in which he proposed bringing in the military to crush the people. Yeah, real people's man our Nigel. Lowe was going too far right (which would be just right of centre) and so the system could not let him continue to say actual right-wing things that might impassion the masses - the one thing the establishment is petrified of is a genuine large-scale revolt.
Reform is what the system has given us as a choice, and so is no choice at all. It is just the mechanism the system has provided to persuade people that democracy still stands and to cement that illusion through the ballot box. As long as the masses choose the ballot box the system is legitimate. It only falls when people stop or a genuine anti-establishment character rises out of nowhere - not likely to happen.
Either, Farage is a wily old fox who knows the time to peak is in 4 years, and is keeping his powder dry courting the mainstream until then, or, in his bid to destroy the Tory Party he's turning Reform into it. Whichever it is, Reform's leading lights resemble the kind of misfits with scores to settle you'd find in a Western movie. Big personalities are never going to play nice and be collegiate for that long, they're going to shoot the place up and go out in hail of verbal bullets.
Thanks Nick, I don’t know much about Rupert Lowe but I did like Ben Habib, Reform will be a poor offering without quality people like this. The optics around the office bullying claims are truly awful, we expect better from Reform.
Thanks Nick, Reform without Habib and Lowe is far less compelling.
I'll wait a week or two, but will probably cancel my subscription to Reform.
Homeless again.
Hang on for the time being Swelter, you then have a vote in any leadership contest. Or do you think it unlikely that the Messiah will allow one?
Nick, everything you say rings true with me. I resigned from office in my local branch a couple of weeks ago after having been treated appallingly by one of Zia & Nigel's young, wet behind the ears protégés. He just bombed in a by election on Thursday in what he himself described as one of the most winnable seats. The chair appointed me to be the candidate's campaign coordinator and I got zero cooperation from him. The campaign itself was abysmal. Done of the things he said at the recent branch meeting were cringingly embarrassing - completely forgetting who his audience was. He TOLD people what their concerns should be rather than taking the opportunity to ASK people. His Compua Sez data told him of an exponential increase in fly tipping and DV. He didn't offer any solutions to either of those problems, neither did it seem to occur to him that someone subject to DV in all likelihood would be in a coercively controlled relationship, so would they actually be allowed out to vote or complete their own postal vote? Unbelievable naiveté from a spoilt brat manchild obviously being financed by the Bank of Mum & Dad.
It was APPALLING and I conclude that his attitude had been handed down from the very top as our hero was working, tirelessly, 16 hour days, unpaid for over a year for Zia & Nigel. Certainly opened my eyes
Disillusionment is painful but because of the events of the last 24 hours, I feel totally vindicated. Very disappointing - and I don't believe a word of this nonsense about Rupert Lowe. He seems to me to be an honourable man.
Sorry to hear that Liz. What a mess.
Thanks Nick. It was awful but I'll survive
Thanks for this, Nick. You are spot on. I feel devastated. They had such momentum. I find it hard to believe these allegations but in any event this has been handled so badly. To see the party, that I felt was our only hope against Starmer,tear themselves apart is so depressing.
I knew that Lowe's popularity would be an issue. He's a whirlwind, getting so much done and he's the ONLY MP speaking up for the forgotten majority. Tbh I wanted Reform's policies to be totally in line with what RL has been saying, but it seems he was speaking out of turn and becoming too popular. He has been treated very badly. I want this to blow over. I want them to recover from this. I fear they won't. I had so much hope for Reform. Terrible news.
What a b@lls-up. Yusuf should fall on his sword for this. Probably responsible anyway. How can we expect any other mp to cross the floor when they might get stabbed the way Rupert was. Ultimately Nige is to blame, that's two top level guys have been driven out of the party. A one-man band will never look like a credible government. Nige, you've got to change and you've got to get down on your knees and beg Rupert to come back. And then listen to him. He's way above the rest of you on policy.
Thanks Nick. I'm listening to this fresh off of last night Headliners, where I completely agreed with you. Without Rupert, they've lost my vote too, as he was the only politician that spoke for me. He's the only reason I became a member of Reform. How can anyone disagree with what Rupert said to Andrew Pierce though? He's right, Reform needs policy. Please don't everyone hate me, but I've never liked Farage. From my point of view, he likes the limelight way too much. I could never warm to him. I went to the conference in Surrey and as much as I want to, I simply cannot warm to him. Despite this, I still became a member. Farage also wants to keep migrants here, following his YouTube video. I was gobsmacked. So Nick, if there is no Centre, what is Farage, as I don't believe he's right wing. I feel he is fine with losing his morals for votes. What a shame. It consumed me all day yesterday. Then, I'm now angry about all the front pages. We are being bloody invaded and no one seems to give a shite! The danger this is putting us all in and changing our communities to the point of no return is devastating.
I might be wrong Nick, but when you mentioned that you were thinking about going into politics, Lowe might have been behind your thinking, so now what?
Well I had already been put off it anyway. But it’s true if people like Rupert struggle then so would I. And I’ve said a lot more ‘offensive’ things. Although I am better at not criticising my employer!
I totally agree, Rupert Lowe has been a breath of fresh air in a parliament of mostly low-grade idiots. I now feel politically homeless again. Something like this happening was the reason I refused to join Reform despite supporting and voting for them.
I was previously a member of the Conservatives (multiple times over the years) and was involved at the local level with campaigning and even standing for council elections. I left as a result of Boris’s betrayal and am very unlikely to join another party as I’ve seen how easy the back stabbing can begin.
It does however feel like someone is deliberately destroying Reform and any attempt to unite the disaffected right in this country. The increase in deep state propaganda in the last few weeks has been terrifying.
Rupert Lowe is the sort of politician who says what he thinks, and this is never going to translate into monolithic party cohesion required for government. The Tory Party have shown that mass appeal requires a ruthless suppression of individual beliefs in pursuit of the bigger goal. Four years is a long time for commentators to unpick the nuances and yawning gaps between a party leader's aspirations and political reality, and that process has already begun with Steven Edginton's interview with Farage, and Musk's subsequent commentary. Rupert Lowe expresses the view of everyman but parliament is comprised of cunning political operators, institutional hypocrites and chancers of all stripes. Which is why the right is fragmented into numerous outspoken truth-tellers and remains destined to protest status, while liberal democrats and the far-left swap power indefinitely.
I wish the ‘Like’ button was actually labelled ‘Agree’ because I completely agree with what you said, but I can’t say I like it. I also worry that this is the beginning of a process that could see Labour (or the wider left) in power for a very long time and ensure the complete destruction of what we think of as England and the UK. The population just seem as completely brainwashed as they were during the plandemic. There had appeared to be a good number of people waking up, but a few weeks of sustained propaganda has sent them straight back to sleep.
Britain is not the US. If it was, we could replace state apparatus after each election. We have the civil service, an organisation wedded to the status quo. It's unwilling or incapable of assessing the origins and impact of Covid response transparently, never mind legal and illegal immigration. While ever that obtains, the best hope for the right is getting behind one party, and sorting out the details later. I have never been a member of any political party, but that much is self-evident.
Agreed with every word.
Part of this is the deliberate dumbing down and Pavlovian knee-jerk triggering of people with an attention span of 3 seconds. In print and the way it is verbally reported it looks and sounds like Rupert said Nigel thinks he is a messiah. But I think his use of messianic was a short way of saying he has a devoted following, which is not the same at all. And his later repetition was simply a loose referral back to that reference. It seems people want soundbites, not stream of consciousness conversations, where sometimes you could have said something better.
And FFS, what did he say about the necessary preparations for government that was untrue. They could’ve answered that he’s right but it is still too early and there are too few people of calibre yet to take on roles. But no. They shot the messenger.
Ben Habib (Treasury), Howard Cox (Transport) and now Rupert Lowe (Home Secretary); three potential frontbencher roles down the toilet.
And what have they got? Tice is a grey businessman, who supported the heinous Assisted Dying Bill; Lee Anderson revels in his roots but cannot rise above them; James McMurdock the invisible man. And Zia. He gave me the creeps from the start, and nothing to do with race. He talked a good talk but I have a pretty good track record on people and my sixth sense had him as a wrong-un. I couldn’t say why but his nastiness and accusations against Lowe the very day after the bust up, and jumping the gun on any inquiry, confirms it for me.
So sad because they just announced another winning policy: they will scrap ALL inheritance tax, not just for farmers. And that is lost in the death wish furore.
In a nutshell: Nigel cannot countenance criticism and the others are peeved because Rupert is showing them all up as not much cop.
UKIP has all but vanished publicly, but I do see some very pithy, punchy flash card like posts on social media, every one a direct hit, so I may waste my vote on them.
Not easy being on the UK right is it? Very depressing. I don't think there's time for another party to make a serious challenge at the next election, though there's some time for Reform to sort themselves out if they want to. I'm done with voting for fake conservatives. It's up to them really.
Hi Nick. I have been a longstanding member of Reform UK and previously of UKIP. I have been a local councillor for UKIP and stood for Parliament for Reform at the last election. Over the years, I have seen people leave or get forced out by Nigel. He seems to be worried that he will be eclipsed by talented individuals. This latest spat with Rupert is the most recent. I like Rupert very much and it will be a huge loss to the party. I am also concerned about the influence of the Chairman . He has suddenly appeared from nowhere and I wonder if it is some ego trip for him. In fairness, he has done a good job in professionalising the party at branch level. I will remain with Reform and carry on as chair of my local branch because there is really no other realistic alternative to save my country. I am concerned though and if this trend of ousting good people continues then I may need to reconsider
Nick, I agree with every word. I sat next to Nigel at one of his events and I agree with Rupert, he does have a messianic quality. My hope was that he would surround himself with capable people and gradually allow them to pick up the reins. That clearly isn't going to happen, he needs to be top dog, front and centre at all times. Where do we go from here?
Having given it more thought - and read a number of opinions on Twitter, (sorry Elon, X) I wonder if this might be a possible solution: either sack Zia or demand he resigns, Nigel welcomes Rupert back into the party - after he's been completely exonerated of course - and approaches Ben Habib to return as Chairman to install good governance. Then, democratise the party and let the membership decide who should be party leader. Whoever wins the leadership then has a legitimate mandate to lead and others will either have to fall into line or resign. This is the only reason I'm not actually cancelling my membership for the time being, so that I have a vote in any leadership contest. Very glad to be out of a very badly run branch though. What do others think?
Dont give up on the tories Nick - many of us inside the party have been as frustrated as you have been but Reform was never the answer. Best hope is tories getting act together
Mr Lowe makes a tacit assertion that the Reform Party is still politically immature and needs to improve…and how does the hierarchy respond?
Ad hominems, unskillful manoeuvring and barefaced cancelling of one of their greatest assets. In other words, actions that confirm Mr Lowe’s opinion. 😂. The complaint to the police is just laughable. No one believes that there is any substance to the complaints. These are the enemy’s tactics.
Playground politics at its worst.
I never bought into Reform from the start; I couldn't ever quite explain exactly why, but it all just felt a little managed to me. The establishment needed to give something to the slowly-stirring right-of-centre, and up pops Reform with the people's favourite Farage. Farage himself is not right-wing, he's just not as far left as the rest of the system - if anyone doubts that they should make themselves aware of his comments over Southport in which he proposed bringing in the military to crush the people. Yeah, real people's man our Nigel. Lowe was going too far right (which would be just right of centre) and so the system could not let him continue to say actual right-wing things that might impassion the masses - the one thing the establishment is petrified of is a genuine large-scale revolt.
Reform is what the system has given us as a choice, and so is no choice at all. It is just the mechanism the system has provided to persuade people that democracy still stands and to cement that illusion through the ballot box. As long as the masses choose the ballot box the system is legitimate. It only falls when people stop or a genuine anti-establishment character rises out of nowhere - not likely to happen.
Either, Farage is a wily old fox who knows the time to peak is in 4 years, and is keeping his powder dry courting the mainstream until then, or, in his bid to destroy the Tory Party he's turning Reform into it. Whichever it is, Reform's leading lights resemble the kind of misfits with scores to settle you'd find in a Western movie. Big personalities are never going to play nice and be collegiate for that long, they're going to shoot the place up and go out in hail of verbal bullets.
Thanks Nick, I don’t know much about Rupert Lowe but I did like Ben Habib, Reform will be a poor offering without quality people like this. The optics around the office bullying claims are truly awful, we expect better from Reform.
Raise the bar Farage don’t lower it!