STORY
Expelled Reform MP Rupert Lowe has been criticised after mistakenly reporting a team of charity rowers as suspected migrants approaching the Norfolk coast. Lowe posted a photo online of a vessel near wind turbines off Great Yarmouth on Thursday evening, warning of “dinghies coming into Great Yarmouth, RIGHT NOW” and vowing to “use every tool at my disposal to ensure these individuals are deported”.
In reality, the boat belonged to ROW4MND, a four-man crew rowing from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds for motor neurone disease research. The team, which included former Royal Marine Mike Bates, said they were surprised to be mistaken for migrants, particularly given the size of their ocean-going vessel and the fact Great Yarmouth is not the most direct route from Calais.
Lowe contacted the coastguard over his concerns. After being informed of the mix-up, he pledged £1,000 to the charity, saying he wanted to support their cause despite the misunderstanding.
Critics have accused the former MP of overreacting and failing to verify basic details before making public accusations. One campaigner noted that charity crews in clearly marked rowing boats are “not generally a covert means of illegal entry”.
The rowers have since continued their journey, having raised more than £100,000 for research. For Rupert Lowe, the incident is the latest in a series of controversies since leaving Reform UK.