James O'Brien reacts to developing civil war within Reform UK

It was the 'right and proper' decision to launch an investigation into Rupert Lowe over allegations of bullying, Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said.

Richard Tice said the complaints "have to be dealt with in the proper and responsible way" and suggested that people would have been "raging" if the matter had been brushed "under the carpet".

On Friday, the party suspended the former MP for Great Yarmouth and referred him to police, alleging he made "threats of physical violence" against party chairman Zia Yusuf.

Scotland Yard has said a complaint of "verbal threats" were made about an alleged incident last December was being assessed by officers.

Reform also said it had received evidence of "serious bullying" and "derogatory" remarks made about women in the MP's offices, with two separate staffers said to have made allegations.

"You have to make difficult judgments through the process. But of course it's unfortunate, of course it's difficult, but these allegations of bullying by two separate female members of staff to the parliamentary authorities, those clearly have to be dealt with in the proper and responsible way," Mr Tice told Sky News.

After Lowe's whip was removed, party leader Nigel Farage said the party 'acted responsibly' in dealing with the matter.

Mr Tice added: "We've also got a duty of care as a party, whether people are employed directly or indirectly. So, that's why the chairman has instructed an independent investigation by a KC, that's the right and proper thing to do. That will run its course.

"But imagine if we hadn't been open and transparent about this. Imagine if we'd tried to brush it under the carpet and in some way cover it up, and then it came out at a future time. Everyone would have been raging."

The leader of the party stressed the importance of good behaviour in the party and said the allegations had "dented" the "sense of unity" it had been building.

Now, in his latest social media post, Mr Lowe said: "It has been reported in today's Telegraph that sources in the Reform leadership, 'close to Nigel Farage', are upset with me because I have been outspoken on the need for a large number of deportations. This is not new information to me.

"Just so that everyone is crystal clear - I stand by every single word I have said on the subject.

"If you are here illegally, you should be deported. That has to be the objective. If that results in one million plus deportations being the eventual aim? Then so be it. It may be uncomfortable to some, but there is NO other way.

"Nigel may not agree with that, but it's the right thing to do and it's a perfectly reasonable policy discussion to raise."

Suspended Reform MP Rupert Lowe said on Twitter: "I do not want unvetted, unchecked, unknown young men roaming our streets, harassing women and loitering around schools. I want them deported, as do the vast majority of the British people.

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