Editing Rupert Lowe (section)

=== Parliamentary career ===
[[File:Reform MPs in Parliament.jpg|thumb|Lowe (far right) seated with fellow Reform UK MPs (left to right) [[James McMurdock]], [[Richard Tice]] and [[Nigel Farage]] in 2024]]
In the [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024 general election]] on 4 July, he stood for the [[Great Yarmouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Great Yarmouth]] constituency<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/24279246.rupert-lowe-standing-great-yarmouth-reform-candidate/|title=Meet the ex-football boss who hopes to be your next MP|date=28 April 2024|website=Great Yarmouth Mercury|accessdate=24 June 2024|archive-date=12 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240612235757/https://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/news/24279246.rupert-lowe-standing-great-yarmouth-reform-candidate/|url-status=live}}</ref> and won, gaining 35.3 per cent of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |title=Great Yarmouth – General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001256 |access-date=5 July 2024 |work=BBC News }}</ref> After his election he compiled a list of schools in his constituency where he said that teachers were biased against Reform during the election campaign, saying he would be meeting with headteachers to discuss the allegations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Quinn |first1=Ben |last2=Weale |first2=Sally |title=Reform UK MP accused of mounting 'witch-hunt' against local teachers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/09/reform-uk-mp-accused-of-mounting-witch-hunt-against-local-teachers |access-date=10 July 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=9 July 2024}}</ref> He also pledged to donate his MP salary to a different local charity or worthy cause each month.<ref>{{cite web |title=Boris warns Tories not to merge with Reform |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/07/05/general-election-2024-results-live-updates2/ |website=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=5 July 2024 |access-date=7 July 2024 |archive-date=6 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706192329/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/07/05/general-election-2024-results-live-updates2/ |url-status=live |last1=Sigsworth |first1=Tim |last2=Penna |first2=Dominic }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/1524138f-585a-438a-a467-b1cae523f3e1|title=Reform MP faces backlash for giving away salary|first1=Anna|last1=Gross|first2=George|last2=Parker|date=20 September 2024|accessdate=3 December 2024|work=FT}}</ref>

In January 2025 the South African-Canadian-American billionaire businessman [[Elon Musk]], who had endorsed Reform UK, called on [[Nigel Farage]] to resign as leader, and then praised Lowe.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hutchinson |first1=Emma |title=Who is Rupert Lowe, the MP Elon Musk thinks could replace Nigel Farage as Reform UK leader? |url=https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2025-01-06/who-is-rupert-lowe-the-mp-elon-musk-thinks-should-be-reform-uk-leader |access-date=7 January 2025 |work=ITV News |date=6 January 2025 |archive-date=7 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107203010/https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2025-01-06/who-is-rupert-lowe-the-mp-elon-musk-thinks-should-be-reform-uk-leader |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Toth |first1=Albert |title=Who is Rupert Lowe? From unpopular football chairman to Musk's candidate to lead Reform after Farage fallout |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/reform-rupert-lowe-farage-musk-southampton-b2674865.html |access-date=7 January 2025 |work=The Independent |date=7 January 2025 |archive-date=7 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250107203939/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/reform-rupert-lowe-farage-musk-southampton-b2674865.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Lowe thanked Musk, but reiterated his support for Farage.<ref name=bbcmusk>{{cite news |last1=Sinclair |first1=Andrew |title=Reform MP backs leader Farage amid Musk snub |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn85d8vjdleo |access-date=7 January 2025 |work=BBC News |date=6 January 2025 |archive-date=8 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108205046/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn85d8vjdleo |url-status=live }}</ref> The dispute between Musk and Farage stemmed from Musk's endorsement of the imprisoned activist [[Tommy Robinson]], whom Farage has rejected; Lowe said Robinson should be acknowledged for "exposing these [child rape] gangs" but called him "not right for Reform".<ref name=bbcmusk/>

On 8 January 2025 Lowe brought in a [[Ten Minute Rule Bill]] to ban [[quantitative easing]], praising [[Argentina|Argentinian]] president [[Javier Milei]] and looking forward to [[Elon Musk]] working with [[Donald Trump]], before saying "The cost of government should be covered by taxes alone, limiting the growth of excessive statism" which he said was linked to "a general moral decline in society".<ref>{{cite web |title=Quantitative Easing (Prohibition) |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-01-08/debates/8B7172B2-ADDA-4448-B830-D96FAF3FAD5E/QuantitativeEasing(Prohibition) |website=[[Hansard]] |access-date=8 March 2025}}</ref> Also in January 2025, Lowe voted along with other Reform UK MPs to block the [[Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill]] with a motion that called for a new national inquiry into [[grooming gangs]]. The amendment was defeated at 364 votes to 111, a majority of 253 against the amendment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/grooming-gangs-inquiry-voted-down-parliament/|title=MPs vote down Conservatives' attempt to force new national grooming gangs inquiry|date=8 January 2025|website=LBC|access-date=11 January 2025|archive-date=11 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250111004956/https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/grooming-gangs-inquiry-voted-down-parliament/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/mps-vote-against-new-national-inquiry-into-grooming-gangs-13285629|title=MPs vote against new national inquiry into grooming gangs|date=8 January 2025|work=Sky News|archive-date=9 January 2025|access-date=11 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109013457/https://news.sky.com/story/mps-vote-against-new-national-inquiry-into-grooming-gangs-13285629|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/08/politics-latest-news-keir-starmer-elon-musk-grooming-vote/|title=Labour accused of 'cowardice' after blocking national grooming inquiry|first1=Daniel|last1=Martin|first2=Genevieve|last2=Holl-Allen|first3=Jack|last3=Maidment|date=8 January 2025|work=The Daily Telegraph|archive-date=11 January 2025|access-date=11 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250111004956/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/08/politics-latest-news-keir-starmer-elon-musk-grooming-vote/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/how-your-mp-voted-grooming-gangs-inquiry-3469733?ico=most_popular|title=How your MP voted on holding an inquiry into grooming gangs|first=Bill|last=McLoughlin|date=8 January 2025|website=The i Paper|access-date=11 January 2025|archive-date=9 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250109143246/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/how-your-mp-voted-grooming-gangs-inquiry-3469733?ico=most_popular|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 6 March 2025, in an interview with the ''[[Daily Mail]]'', Lowe criticised the governance of Reform UK as "a protest party led by the Messiah", suggesting he might leave the party if things did not change, and saying it was too early to tell whether Farage would make a good [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|prime minister]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last1=Holl-Allen |first1=Genevieve |last2=Gibbons |first2=Amy |last3=Leake |first3=Natasha |date=2025-03-06 |title=Farage acts like a 'messiah', says Reform MP |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/03/06/farage-acts-like-a-messiah-says-reform-mp/ |access-date=2025-03-07 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Farage disputed Lowe's criticism of himself and Reform UK, describing his personal following as a good thing, and went on to suggest Lowe's remarks were driven by a desire to be prime minister himself.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> In the same ''Daily Mail'' interview, Lowe stated he thought that MPs' pay should be increased to about £250,000 a year with the size of the House of Commons halved, and described the [[BBC]] as a "cancer at the heart of Britain".<ref name=":1">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/06/reform-mp-says-nigel-farage-must-change-messianic-leadership-style|title=Reform faces split as Farage hits back over 'messianic' criticism|first=Rowena|last=Mason|date=6 March 2025|accessdate=7 March 2025|work=The Guardian}}</ref>