Reform UK rules out deal with Restore due to ‘antisemitic’ co-founder, ‘Groyper’ ideology

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has declared that his party will not engage in talks with the smaller Restore party unless Restore leader Rupert Lowe removes his "antisemitic" co-founder. Farage stated that the co-founder and other associated figures promote what he described as the "old theory" and advocate for the removal of Jewish people from the country.

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So we can talk to Rupert Lowe – that’s fine. But when you have co-founders, et cetera, putting out what I would call the ‘old theory’ – the old theory that we probably haven’t heard in this country since 1936 – and you have other adjacent publicly supportive people demanding that all Jews be removed from the country, just as an example…

Farage outlined his conditions during a press conference, emphasizing that individuals making such statements must be removed from the inner circle for any sensible discussions to occur. The co-founder in question is Charlie Downes, who reportedly insinuated that Farage had been influenced by Jewish supporters. Downes allegedly responded to Farage's denial of being bought by posting an image referencing the Reform Jewish Alliance.

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The condition I would put on it is that those people would have to be out of the inner circle, and I think that for me would be the only way we could sensibly proceed.

A spokesman for Reform UK confirmed the party's stance, stating that no agreement with Lowe's party is possible while Downes remains. "There are antisemitic and extreme racists at or near the top of the party, and they would have to go first," the spokesman said. He further linked the issue to the "Groypers in the US," characterizing their ideology as anti-Jewish and similar to that of the far-left.

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There are antisemitic and extreme racists at or near the top of the party, and they would have to go first.

The article also notes that Reform UK is experiencing a decline in its polling numbers, recently falling behind the Conservatives. The latest YouGov survey shows Labour leading with 24 points, indicating a shift in the political landscape.

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We’re happy to talk, but we can’t do it when there are people in the party like Charlie Downes. This all started with the Groypers in the US, and it’s happening here, putting out this anti-Jewish stuff that is very similar to the far Left.