Rupert Lowe is in the news as a Reform UK MP who split from Farage, now independent after suspension. Born 1957, British politician.
Constituency polls have put Andy Burnham ahead in the 18 June Makerfield by-election, but the race remains close. Robert Kenyon of Reform UK trails by a narrow margin while Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain is drawing 6–8% and is splitting right‑wing support. If Restore keeps pulling Reform voters, Burnham will return to Westminster and launch a Labour leadership challenge.
A June 18 Makerfield by-election has become a de facto national leadership test. Labour has placed Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham in the contest to enter parliament and challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Polls show Labour leading by five to 12 points, but Nigel Farage's Reform UK and the splinter Restore Britain party are splitting the right‑wing vote and shifting the race.
Recent reports reveal that multiple Reform UK candidates have shared extremist, racist, and sexist social media posts. Despite Nigel Farage's claims of improved vetting, allegations of offensive remarks and links to far-right supporters have emerged, raising questions about candidate screening ahead of the May local elections. The party's vetting procedures are under scrutiny.
Labour has kept a tight hold on the political narrative amid debates over leadership, migration and fiscal policy. The Makerfield by-election stands as a potential hinge moment, with Andy Burnham, Wes Streeting and Keir Starmer weighing cross-party signals while Reform UK and Greens shape the vote. Markets watch the political mood as the contest unfolds.
Protests in Belfast — sparked by a knife attack in which a Sudanese national is charged with attempted murder — have erupted into violence across multiple districts. Rioters have set vehicles and buildings alight, with police deploying water cannon and crews working to protect residents amid rising tensions tied to immigration debates.
Protesters in Belfast torch vehicles and buildings after a Sudanese man is arrested for a knife attack that left a man severely injured. Police declare a critical incident and call for calm as political leaders condemn the violence.