Lowe was elected to Parliament for Reform UK, but left the party after a public dispute with its leadership, including his criticism of Nigel Farage. Reform UK subsequently alleged threatening behaviour, which Lowe and his staff denied. Later in 2025, he established Restore Britain as a pressure group, with an initial advisory board that included Conservative politicians such as Susan Hall and Gavin Williamson. The party also raised funds via crowdfunding for an Inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal.
In February 2026, Lowe said Restore Britain would transition from a pressure group into a national political party. The party advocates policies such as large-scale deportation of people in the United Kingdom without legal status, seeking net-negative immigration, calling for a referendum on reinstating the death penalty, reducing certain taxes and the size of the state, withdrawing public funding for the BBC, banning the burqa and niqab, legalising the possession of pepper spray, and expanding the legal scope of "reasonable force" in defence of the home. The party has also referred to stopping "wokery" and abolishing kosher and halal slaughter in an effort to restore "Christian principles".
Background
Rupert Lowe speaking in parliament, 2025
Rupert Lowe was elected as one of Reform UK's five members of Parliament at the 2024 general election, representing the constituency of Great Yarmouth.[3] On 7 March 2025, Reform UK suspended him and removed the party whip following allegations that he had made threats of violence towards party chairmanZia Yusuf, as well as other alleged incidents of bullying and threatening behaviour between December 2024 and February 2025.[4][5][6]
The party also cited complaints from staff about derogatory and discriminatory remarks about women and reported the matter to the police, after which the Metropolitan Police passed a file to prosecutors. Lowe and his seven parliamentary staff denied the allegations in an open letter, describing them as false and vexatious, and noted that his suspension and police referral came the day after he had publicly raised concerns and criticised party leader Nigel Farage in a media interview.[7][8][9] On 9 March 2025, Lowe stated that he believed Nigel Farage was "watering down" Reform UK's policy on the deportation of illegal migrants.[10]
On 25 March 2025, leaked WhatsApp messages showed Farage describing Lowe's behaviour as both "disgusting" and "contemptible"; Lowe responded by calling the process a "malicious witch hunt" against him and alleging that it was motivated by his decision to ask questions and challenge the party leadership.[11]
History
On 30 June 2025, Lowe launched Restore Britain as a political organisation "for those who believe that we need to fundamentally change the way Britain is governed."[12] The launch coincided with that of Advance UK, a right-wing party founded by another former Reform UK representative, Ben Habib.[13]Susan Hall, then leader of the Conservative Party group on the London Assembly, joined Restore Britain's advisory board.[14] Lowe raised approximately £600,000 through crowdfunding for an independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation by grooming gangs to be sponsored by Restore Britain.[15] This initiative attracted the involvement of Conservative MPs Nick Timothy, Esther McVey, and Gavin Williamson.[16]
On 13 February 2026, Lowe announced that Restore Britain would become a registered political party,[17][18] presenting it as an umbrella organisation for local grassroots groups.[19] Following the announcement, Hall and Williamson left the organisation.[18][20] On 15 February, Restore Britain announced its first local councillor, Maria Bowtell, who had previously served as a Reform UK, then independent, councillor on the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.[16] Habib stated that he would consider a possible merger between Advance UK and Restore Britain.[16]
On 17 February 2026, Restore Britain announced that eight additional councillors had joined the party, including seven from Kent County Council,[21] on which Restore Britain became the third-largest party. Lowe said that further defections were expected.[22]
Findoutnow conducted a poll of 3,029 adults in late February that found 7% of participants would support Restore Britain in a general election, with Restore Britain's support coming primarily from non-voters and former Reform and Conservative voters, with their strongest age range being 18–29-year-olds with 11% support.[29][30] Out of 230 voters who previously voted Reform in the 2024 election, 15% now supported Restore Britain.[31]
Restore Britain has been described by media outlets and journalists as both a far-right[32][16][33][34] and right-wing party,[35][36][37] including part of the radical right,[38] and as "strongly nationalist and socially conservative".[39] Lowe has stated indifference to Restore Britain being described as far-right or racist,[40] and has proclaimed that the party "will look at the facts, and then discriminate."[41]The Times described Lowe's views as becoming increasingly radicalised while wanting to "implement the harshest possible circumstances for illegal migrants".[42]
According to its published materials and public statements, Restore Britain supports policies including the deportation of people residing in the United Kingdom without legal status, seeking net-negative immigration.[43][44] Lowe released a 133-page "mass deportation" policy document for Restore Britain, crediting a range of figures such as Carl Benjamin and contributors to GB News.[45]
The party has also pledged legalising the possession of pepper spray for women and the use of "reasonable force" in the defence of people's homes, and has referred in its rhetoric to a desire to "carpet-bomb the cancer of wokery".[44] It has additionally stated that it seeks to abolish kosher and halal slaughter and to restore Christian principles.[41][46] Other policies include reinstating the death penalty, reducing certain taxes, limiting the size of government, banning the burqa and niqab, and reducing or withdrawing public funding from the BBC.[43][44]
Membership
On 16 February 2026, a few days after Restore Britain announced its launch as a political party, the organisation stated that it had reached 50,000 members.[41] Two days later, party leader Rupert Lowe said that membership had risen to 70,000, and on 20 February he said on X that the party had reached 80,000 members. On 20 February 2026 the Electoral Commission showed Restore’s application to form an official political party.[47][48] On 28 February Restore Britain said they had reached 100,000 members.[49][non-primary source needed]
Elected representatives
Restore Britain has not yet stood in an election. Although Lowe is leader of the party, he currently sits in Parliament as an independent MP.[50] A number of local councillors elected under other descriptions have joined the party.[16][21][24][25][26][27]
↑Hulland, Louise; Prickett, Katy (3 July 2025). "MP inundated with racist abuse after online post". BBC News. Cambridgeshire. Archived from the original on 3 July 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025. He launched Restore Britain on Monday, saying it was 'a movement for those who believe that we need to fundamentally change the way Britain is governed'.
*Co-operative Party candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party. ‡5 independent MPs work together in the Independent Alliance, 3 of whom are also in Your Party. †Sinn Féin have elected members and offices at Westminster, but as abstentionists do not take their seats.
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