Former Reform MP Rupert Lowe won’t be charged after dealing with allegations of creating threats, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has stated.
Malcolm McHaffie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Particular Crime Division, stated after contemplating various witness statements they’ve concluded that there’s “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction”.
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He added: “The Crown Prosecution Service’s function is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent, and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider.
“Based mostly on the cautious consideration of this proof, we’ve got determined that our authorized check for a felony prosecution has not been met.”
Mr Lowe was suspended by Reform UK and reported to police following allegations that the MP threatened violence in the direction of social gathering chairman Zia Yusuf.
He all the time denied wrongdoing and claimed he was the sufferer of a witch hunt after talking out in opposition to social gathering chief Nigel Farage within the media.
In a prolonged assertion following the CPS’s resolution, the Nice Yarmouth MP stated he was referred to the police in “a sinister attempt to weaponise the criminal justice system against me – putting not just my political future, but my liberty at risk”.
He stated this was “all because I dared to raise constructive criticisms of Nigel Farage, stood firm on deporting illegal migrants, and pushed for Reform to be run democratically – not as a vehicle to stroke one man’s ego”.
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Nigel Farage. Pic: PA
He stated Reform responded “with a brutal smear campaign”, claiming figures within the social gathering briefed journalists he had dementia.
Mr Lowe stated: “I am ashamed to have shared a parliamentary platform with them. Ashamed to have trusted them. Ashamed to have called them friends. Farage is no leader – he is a coward and a viper. I feel deeply embarrassed that I ever thought he was the man to lead.
“It is my view that the police course of was weaponised to silence a celebration colleague who raised cheap considerations.
“If Farage had been ever to regulate the huge energy of the British state, I imagine he wouldn’t hesitate to do to his adversaries what they’ve tried to do to me. With actual energy, I worry he would wield that immense accountability to crush dissent – as he has finished again and again over time.
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Reform UK row defined
“Smearing my innocent staff in a pathetic attempt to attack me was disgusting, alongside briefings to journalists from senior Reform figures suggesting I had dementia – the lowest, vilest tactics I have seen in my 67 years. They are not fit to lead. They are not fit to be MPs.”
Mr Lowe went onto say that “for the good of our country, Nigel Farage must never be prime minister”.
In a touch at his political future he added: “When the time soon comes, we will work together to advance a political movement that is credible, professional, decent, democratic and honest. There will, very soon, be an alternative to the rotten leadership of Reform.”
In a message to those that supported him he stated: “You’ll be hearing a lot more from me, very soon.”
The row broke out in March after Mr Lowe gave an interview to the Every day Mail through which he stated it was “too early to know” if Mr Farage will change into prime minister and warned Reform stays a “protest party led by the Messiah” underneath the Clacton MP.
Quickly after, Reform UK introduced it had referred him to police and suspended him, alleging he made “verbal threats” in opposition to chairman Zia Yousaf.
The social gathering additionally claimed it had obtained complaints from two feminine staff about bullying in his constituency places of work, which he additionally denied.
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