Ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe to face no criminal charges over 'verbal threat' claims
Prosecutors have decided no criminal charges will be brought against ex-Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe over allegations of "verbal threats".
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had conducted a detailed review - but found there is "insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction".
Nigel Farage's party reported the Great Yarmouth MP to the Metropolitan Police in March over alleged threats of physical violence against Reform chairman Zia Yusuf. He was suspended from the right-wing party in March amid a deepening civil war and allegations about his conduct, which he strongly denies.
But on Wednesday the head of the CPS's special crime division, Malcolm McHaffie, said: 'Following a thorough and detailed review of the evidence in relation to an allegation of threats, we have decided that no criminal charges should be brought against a sitting MP.
'Having considered a number of witness statements, we have concluded that there is 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 on the careful consideration of this evidence, we have decided that our legal test for a criminal prosecution has not been met.'
"The decision is also subject to the Victim's Right to Review (VRR) scheme which provides a victim or their families in some classes of case with a specifically designed process to exercise the right to review certain CPS decisions not to start a prosecution or to stop a prosecution.
Mr Lowe said in a statement: "The Metropolitan Police have today confirmed that they are dropping their investigation into the false allegations that I made threats against the Reform Party chairman.
"This was not normal political infighting. It was a sinister attempt to weaponise the criminal justice system against me - putting not just my political future, but my liberty at risk. 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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