An Elon Musk-backed Reform MP has launched the firing gun to a long-anticipated civil war against Nigel Farage.
Rupert Lowe has scathingly attacked his boss, accusing him of acting like the “messiah” as splits within the party burst into the open.
He told Farage to “learn to delegate” and said that Reform UK needed to “start behaving as if we are leading and not merely protesting”.
The shadow home secretary, in response, has claimed their “MPs are more concerned with their own egos, and advancing their personal ambitions, rather than standing up for the British people.”
Lowe, the MP for Great Yarmouth, said: “We have to change from being a protest party led by the Messiah into being a properly structured party with a front bench, which we don’t have.
“We have to start behaving as if we are leading and not merely protesting.
“Nigel is a messianic figure who is at the core of everything but he has to learn to delegate, as not everything can go through one person.”
He added: “We have to start developing policy which is going to change the way we govern.
“I’m not going to be by Nigel’s side at the next election unless we have a proper plan to change the way we govern from top to bottom.”
However, Nigel Farage has openly hit back at Lowe’s criticism, saying “It’s difficult to have a front bench with only five MPs, isn’t it? And he’s one of them.”
He added: “If we had 30 MPs, we’d have a front bench, but with five, we can’t.”
Asked whether Lowe would still be a Reform MP at the next election, he told Talk TV: “I hope so but he seems to be taking a tone that says he might not accept us, but there you are.”
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “This internecine warfare at the top of Reform just goes to show that their MPs are more concerned with their own egos, and advancing their personal ambitions, rather than standing up for the British people.
“With one of Farage’s most senior MPs doubting his leadership abilities and admitting that Reform is a protest party with no plan, it is clear that Reform are not serious, and will always put self-interest above our national interest.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “It’s open warfare in Reform’s ranks. But while Nigel Farage’s top team fight amongst themselves, it’s their plans that would harm the public in areas like healthcare.
“We know Farage wants to charge patients thousands to access treatment, but Rupert Lowe himself also calls the NHS ‘a fraud’. Just imagine the chaos this lot would unleash if they got into power. It’s just not a risk worth taking.”
Related: Fiona Bruce threatens to ‘gag’ Reform’s Richard Tice on Question Time