‘Credible evidence’ former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe contributed to 'toxic' office culture, independent report finds
25 March 2025, 14:06 | Updated: 25 March 2025, 14:30
An independent report has found ‘credible evidence’ suggesting former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe contributed to a 'toxic' office culture.
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The investigation by Jacqueline Perry KC was launched by Reform UK following complaints from two women over bullying and what they deemed to be "unacceptable conduct" from men in the team.
According to the report released on Tuesday, Perry concluded there was "veracity in the complaints" made by both women involved in the complaints.
She added that Lowe failed to "address the alleged toxic conduct" of male colleagues in the office, and says he did not take the allegations seriously.
She added the information she had reviewed "amounts to 'credible evidence'" of "victimisation; constant criticism; discriminatory behaviour".
The party said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon that an "independent King's Counsel has found there to be credible evidence of unlawful harassment of two women by both Mr Lowe and male members of his team".
The Great Yarmouth MP lost the Reform whip earlier this month after the party said it had received evidence of "serious bullying" and "derogatory" remarks made about women in the MP's offices.
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Mr Lowe has repeatedly denied the allegations against him, and claimed in a post on X on Tuesday afternoon that Reform is "shamefully attacking my innocent staff to smear my name".
As part of the report, Perry explained the evidence put forward by the women "amount to harassment on the part of both Mr. Lowe and his constituency team - especially Mr. Wedon and Mr. Harrison".
She added: "The 'failures' on the part of the women that have been highlighted by Mr Lowe and resulted in disciplinary procedures being taken against them seem flimsy in the extreme and would have been unlikely, in my opinion, to have warranted disciplinary action, much less dismissal.
"They have the appearance of a defensive stance taken once the complaints had been made as the timings support."
Taking to X shortly after the report emerged, Mr Lowe said he was releasing his own "report" on what he labelled the "unfounded claims of ‘bullying’ in my office".
I’ve been told that the Reform investigation is going to be released, prior to a deadline given to my lawyer - the Reform investigation has not spoken to me, nor my team.
— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) March 25, 2025
So here is my report on the unfounded claims of ‘bullying’ in my office. I’ve gone through the ‘evidence’…
"I’ve gone through the ‘evidence’ that has finally arrived from the Reform investigation, so let’s take a look…" he wrote on Tuesday.
An official statement from Lowe's "entire team" read: "These two women have vexatiously complained in an attempt to smear Rupert, and the entire team. And we are a team. We work together well.
"The only issues raised within the office have been from these two individuals, who only did so after they committed serious offences. This whole ordeal has been difficult on all of us.
"We don't want any of this - we just want to get on with our jobs, and support Rupert who has been a fantastic boss.
"There has never been any bullying - we will all go on the record to say so, and have done so already."
