Everything you need to know about former Reform MP’s new political party
Former Reform MP Rupert Lowe has announced he is launching a rival party to Nigel Farage’s movement.
Mr Lowe, who represents Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, unveiled Restore Britain to ‘restore competence, confidence and national purpose’ to politics.
Originally launched as a political movement, he suggested the brand would act as an umbrella organisation which would partner with local parties, including his own local group Great Yarmouth First.
Before launching as a separate party, Restore had attracted several prominent Conservative members in an advisory capacity, including former London mayoral candidate Susan Hall and former cabinet minister Sir Gavin Williamson.
Both figures have since suggested they will be leaving their roles at Restore following the latest announcement.
On its website, Restore’s claims it wants to cut taxes, carry out ‘millions’ of deportations and an end to what it terms ‘creeping Islamification’.
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The latter includes measures such as outlawing the burqa and halal and kosher slaughtering methods.
Among the party’s most eye-catching pledges is to withdraw benefits from ‘all foreign nationals living in Britain’.
According to data from the 2021 ONS census, more than 10 million British residents were born abroad, accounting for 16 per cent of the population.
‘If you are a guest in our country, you will support yourself. If you cannot do that, you must leave’, the website declares.
The party has also pledged to end all foreign aid and funding for international development initiatives.
Restore joins a growing menu of right-wing parties, which also includes Advance UK, led by former Reform figure Ben Habib, and Mr Farage’s former party UKIP.
Mr Habib said he was ‘utterly delighted’ that Mr Lowe had formed the new party, hinting that the two parties could later merge as a ‘unifying force’.
However some voiced fears that yet another choice would split right-wing votes, while others challenged Restore’s hardline policies towards foreign residents.
Under Britain’s first past the post system, the candidate in each constituency with the most votes is elected, regardless of what percentage of the total vote they actually received.
One critic wrote: ‘Every foreign national is a very broad term. As an immigrant who’s been here for 30 years fully assimilated and tax paying are you saying I’ll not be entitled to the benefits that I’ve contributed to should I ever require them?’
Another said: ‘We are a nation of immigrants, let’s not forget that. Hands up who is pure English whatever that means.’
Rael Braverman, the husband of former Conservative cabinet member turned Reform MP Suella Braverman, asked: ‘Would Restore, acting consistently with its stated principles, support the remigration of Ben Habib, given that he was bro
Who is Rupert Lowe?
A former Conservative member, Mr Lowe entered politics as an MEP for Reform’s predecessor, the Brexit Party.
The ex chairman of Southampton Football Club was elected to his current seat under Mr Farage’s sky blue banner in the 2024 election.
However differences soon became apparent between the pair, notably on far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon), who Mr Farage insisted was not welcome in Reform.
Another flash point was immigration, with Mr Lowe supporting the deportation of ‘a million’ migrants if necessary, a measure not endorsed by the Reform leader.
By March 2025, Mr Lowe branded Reform as a protest movement led by a ‘messiah’.
He was suspended from the party a day later after its chairman, Zia Yusuf alleged that Mr Lowe had made several verbal threats towards him and had failed to co-operate with an investigation.
Mr Lowe has denied all allegations against him, with were since dropped after the CPS said there was insufficient evidence to lead to a likely conviction.
Sitting since as an Independent, Mr Lowe had also launched a local factionin December, named Great Yarmouth First.
He has a been a leading figure campaigning for an inquiry on grooming gangs, to the interest of Elon Musk, who has since appeared to endorse Restore.
The Tesla founder wrote on Saturday that Mr Lowe was the ‘only one who will actually do it’.
According to the parliamentary register of interests, Mr Lowe has been paid nearly £40,000 from Musk’s social platform X within the last 12 months.
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