Rupert Lowe, the former Reform UK MP, has been cleared following a swift inquiry by Parliament’s standards commissioner.
The standards commissioner initiated the investigation Friday morning but has since released a statement indicating the complaint was not upheld.
According to the BBC, the inquiry concerned allegations of failing to register funds raised via a crowdfunding campaign for Lowe’s independent “Rape Gang Inquiry.”
Lowe asserted that he received the donations on June 23, thus granting him until July 21 to register them. He affirmed that he “demonstrated to the commissioner” that all regulations had been adhered to.
In a statement, standards commissioner David Greenberg stated that Lowe provided evidence demonstrating that the 28-day registration window had not elapsed, “and no breach of the Rules has occurred.”
Responding to the commissioner’s announcement on X, Lowe stated: “This complaint was a malicious attempt to shut me down and undermine our inquiry.”
He further added: “I was informed on Thursday morning that this investigation was happening, and I immediately provided undeniable proof that all was done within the rules – the money arrived in the Rape Gang Inquiry account on June 23rd and I have 28 days from that date to register. It is all in hand, and being done entirely correctly.”
“This irrefutable evidence was provided to the parliamentary authorities, I met them yesterday to discuss, yet they still decided to publish.”
Lowe indicated his intention to file a formal complaint with the BBC regarding its reporting of the matter.
The BBC has stated that it will address any complaints through its standard procedures.
Lowe’s crowdfunding initiative, launched in March, has garnered over £600,000 to support a national inquiry into gang-based sexual exploitation across the UK.
Lowe initiated the project prior to the Prime Minister’s announcement of a government-backed national inquiry into grooming gangs last month. He has since affirmed that his investigation will proceed regardless.
Parliamentary regulations mandate that MPs declare any donation exceeding £1,500 from a single source, or over £300 in earnings or gifts.
Lowe’s crowdfunding page includes a statement that donors contributing above the parliamentary limit will have their names disclosed in the Commons register.
While most of the £600,000 comprised smaller donations, records indicate that over a dozen donations exceeded £1,500. These contributions have not yet been reflected in Lowe’s register of financial interests.
The complainant contacted Mr. Greenberg on June 23 to “highlight that Mr. Lowe has failed to register his crowdfunder.”
In an email to Lowe on July 10, Mr. Greenberg informed the Great Yarmouth MP that he was initiating a formal inquiry into whether Lowe had “failed to register individual donations made to the Crowdfunder for the “Rape Gang Inquiry” as required by the rules.”
The investigation centered on whether the MP had breached Rule 5 of the Commons code of conduct.
In a resolution letter dated July 11, Mr. Greenberg stated: “I concluded that the evidence submitted did not demonstrate on the balance of probabilities that a breach of the rules had occurred.”
In a statement from the Rape Gang Inquiry, it was clarified: “The first donations were drawn from our Crowdfunder and arrived in the Rape Gang Inquiry bank account on June 23rd – Rupert had been funding the inquiry until then.”
“All appropriate checks have been made for Rupert’s parliamentary declaration. He has 28 days from the money arriving in the account, which was on June 23rd, until the submission has to be complete – although this has almost entirely been finished already.”
“Once the inquiry is complete, spending will be published in the interests of full transparency.”
Lowe was elected as a Reform UK MP for Great Yarmouth in 2024 but was suspended by the party in March following allegations of threats directed towards the party’s chairman, Zia Yusuf.
In May, the Crown Prosecution Service decided against pursuing charges related to the alleged threats. Lowe claimed in a BBC Newsnight interview that he had been the target of a “political assassination attempt.”
Shortly after his suspension from Reform, Lowe initiated his crowdfunding campaign, accusing ministers of failing victims and stating: “Our gutless political class is too cowardly to even start to process what has truly happened.”
Lowe’s Rape Gang Inquiry has established a board that includes Conservative MP Esther McVey.
According to the inquiry’s social media presence, it has submitted “hundreds and hundreds of FOI requests to every local council, police force, NHS trust and more in order to uncover vital information relating to the rape gangs.”
Lowe has pledged to stream hearings online and has insisted that his private investigation will continue to advocate for accountability.
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