Rupert Lowe’s ‘olive branch’ to Farage piles more pressure on Reform leader

Restore leader has countered charges he’s splitting the right while showing his party is a very real obstacle for Reform Even by the standards of their rivalry, the speed at which Rupert Lowe’s olive branch to Nigel Farage morphed into fresh recriminations between the two was swift. It began with a softly lit 12-minute video posted on Sunday by the Restore Britain leader, looking straight to camera and referring to “Nigel” as he suggested his party could be willing to cast aside its differences with Reform UK and work together. Despite being suspended by Reform in March 2025, and going on to start his own party to chip away at Farage’s vote, Lowe said the two men should put “personalities and our past disagreements aside for the good of the country”. But Farage did not appear to be tempted. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, he in effect accused Lowe of bad faith, wondering aloud about the circumstances of the “offer” and accusing him of “screaming” and “threatening” colleagues when he was in the party ranks. By midday, Lowe had accused Farage of lying when he said he had been in touch with the Restore leader. But Lowe posted a screenshot of a curt