Rupert Lowe’s crowdfunder has raised more than £600,000 – but came under scrutiny after a complaint was made about Mr Lowe’s failure to declare the donations within the required timeframe.
Rupert Lowe launched a scathing attack on the corporation (Image: PA)
Rupert Lowe has launched a blistering attack on the BBC, calling it a “rotten monopoly” that “desperately needs ripping apart” after he was cleared by Parliament’s standards watchdog over a crowdfunder linked to his inquiry into grooming gangs. The independent MP for Great Yarmouth – who left Reform UK earlier this year – set up the crowdfunder in March to support a national investigation into gang-based sexual exploitation across the UK. It has raised more than £600,000 but came under scrutiny after a complaint was made about Mr Lowe’s failure to declare the donations within the required timeframe.
Mr Lowe said the complaint was “a malicious attempt to shut me down and undermine our inquiry,” claiming details of the investigation were leaked to the BBC. Writing on X after the watchdog’s report was published, Mr Lowe said: “The complainant, who held the leaked details of the ‘confidential’ investigation, has a clear and evidenced connection to Reform – you can draw your own conclusions about how this information reached the media.”
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage (Image: Getty)
He added: “It’s a hit job. Another hit job. I do not think it is a coincidence that this complaint has come just a few days before we are welcoming 40 rape gang survivors to Parliament.”
Posting on X on Monday, he added: “After the BBC‘s despicable behaviour towards our Rape Gang Inquiry this week, I have never been more convinced. We must defund the BBC.
“It is a rotten monopoly that needs to be torn apart. I don’t think we’ll have a problem asking Restore Britain members to ratify this one…”
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg, concluded the MP had not breached rules. He explained that while some donations crossed the threshold requiring registration, the money was not accepted into the inquiry’s account until June 23, meaning Mr Lowe was still within the 28-day window to declare them.
Mr Greenberg wrote: “Following a complaint from a member of the public that Mr Rupert Lowe MP had failed to register donations made to a crowdfunder organised by him in connection with his parliamentary activities, I opened a formal inquiry on 10 July 2025.
“My inquiry sought to confirm whether these donations qualified as registrable interests and whether Mr Lowe had failed to register them within the 28-day window set by the House.
“Mr Lowe provided evidence that a number of donations made to the crowdfunder did cross the threshold for registration but were not accepted until 23 June 2025.
“As such, the 28-day window set by the House for the registration of those interests has not passed and no breach of the rules has occurred.”
In response to the ruling, Mr Lowe doubled down on his criticism of the BBC. He said: “The BBC is a rotten monopoly and desperately needs ripping apart. No real journalist would take a clearly politically motivated leak of confidential information and run a hit job without putting a single line to the subject of the story. They’ve turned into little more than a mouthpiece for the regime.”
Mr Lowe’s inquiry was launched before Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a government-backed inquiry into grooming gangs in June. The MP insists his investigation will continue independently, aiming to hold local councils, police forces, NHS trusts, and other bodies accountable.
His crowdfunder inquiry’s social media page states it has submitted “hundreds and hundreds of FOI requests” to uncover vital information on grooming gangs, and he has promised to stream hearings online to ensure transparency.
Next week, Mr Lowe plans to bring 40 survivors of grooming gangs to Parliament, inviting MPs to meet with them individually to hear their experiences. On X, he said: “Every MP will be invited to come and speak individually with survivors. Hear their stories, understand what actually happened — and what is still happening.”
The MP has faced turmoil within his former party, Reform UK, after he was suspended in March amid allegations of threatening the party chairman, Zia Yusuf. The Crown Prosecution Service later decided not to pursue charges related to those claims.
Since then, Mr Lowe has accused Reform’s leadership of a “sinister” attempt to silence him through police action, branding party leader Nigel Farage a “coward and a viper”.
Shortly after his suspension, Mr Lowe launched his inquiry amid increasing calls from government critics for a national probe into grooming gangs. He has consistently criticised ministers for what he calls their failure to support victims, accusing the political establishment of cowardice.
Despite the controversy, the inquiry has attracted significant public backing through crowdfunding, with over £600,000 raised so far to fuel investigations and legal work.
A spokesperson for the inquiry confirmed that while donations passed the registration threshold, all were declared within the parliamentary deadline. They added: “Once the inquiry is complete, spending will be published in the interests of full transparency.”
The investigation’s work continues alongside the official government inquiry announced by the Prime Minister, but Mr Lowe has made clear he intends his private probe to be independent and unrelenting.
With survivors set to speak in Westminster, Mr Lowe’s focus remains on exposing failures across institutions and pressing for justice.
Yet his bitter dispute with the BBC highlights the fraught political and media environment surrounding the grooming gangs scandal, where accusations of leaks and political interference have fuelled tensions.
Mr Lowe’s call to dismantle the BBC’s “rotten monopoly” underlines his belief that the broadcaster has abandoned impartial journalism, instead acting as an instrument for those seeking to derail his inquiry.
