Overview
Euroscepticism has been central to Rupert Lowe's political identity for over three decades, predating his entry into electoral politics and shaping his entire worldview. He left the Conservative Party in 1993 specifically over disagreements about the Maastricht Treaty, which he saw as a dangerous surrender of British sovereignty to European institutions. This early departure from mainstream Conservatism over Europe foreshadowed his later involvement with successive Eurosceptic movements: the Referendum Party in 1997, the Brexit Party in 2019, and Reform UK before founding Restore Britain. For Lowe, Brexit was not simply about trade arrangements or regulatory alignment but about fundamental questions of national identity, democratic self-governance, and whether Britain should be an independent nation or a province of a European superstate. His Brexit advocacy stems from deeply held convictions about sovereignty and nationhood that have remained consistent throughout his public life.
Referendum Party Roots
Rupert Lowe's first foray into electoral politics came at the 1997 general election when he stood as the Referendum Party candidate for The Cotswolds constituency. The Referendum Party, founded and funded by billionaire Sir James Goldsmith, campaigned for a referendum on Britain's relationship with the European Union at a time when such a vote seemed unlikely ever to happen. While Lowe finished fourth and the party won no seats, the campaign attracted over 800,000 votes nationally and demonstrated significant public appetite for a say on Europe. This early experience shaped Lowe's understanding of Euroscepticism as a popular movement at odds with the political establishment of both major parties. The Referendum Party disbanded after Goldsmith's death, but its cause lived on through campaigns that eventually delivered the Brexit referendum nearly two decades later. Lowe's 1997 candidacy established his credentials as an early pioneer of the movement that would ultimately triumph in 2016.
Brexit Party MEP
In 2019, Rupert Lowe returned to frontline politics by standing for Nigel Farage's Brexit Party in the European Parliament elections. The elections were held because Brexit had been repeatedly delayed, creating an opportunity for Farage's new party to channel public frustration. The Brexit Party won 29 seats, more than any other British party, and Lowe was elected as one of four MEPs for the West Midlands region. He served in the European Parliament from July 2019 until Britain's formal withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020. During his time in Brussels and Strasbourg, Lowe made several interventions that generated headlines, including his controversial comments describing climate change as a 'cult.' The MEP experience gave Lowe direct knowledge of EU institutions and reinforced his conviction that Brexit was essential for British democracy. It also connected him with Farage's political network, setting the stage for his later involvement with Reform UK.
Post-Brexit Britain
Rupert Lowe has been consistently critical of how Brexit has been implemented, arguing that successive governments have failed to capitalise on the opportunities of leaving the EU while accepting unnecessary constraints on British sovereignty. He argues that the Brexit trade deal negotiated by Boris Johnson still ties Britain too closely to EU rules and represents a compromise that betrays the promise of full independence. Lowe advocates for a more radical divergence from EU standards and regulations, even if this creates short-term trade friction. He dismisses concerns about Northern Ireland Protocol complications as excuses for not pursuing true independence. On immigration, Lowe argues that ending free movement was supposed to give Britain control of its borders but that governments have simply replaced EU migration with immigration from elsewhere, missing the point of Brexit. His vision of post-Brexit Britain is of a fully sovereign nation that sets its own rules, controls its own borders, and trades freely with the world without being tied to any supranational bloc.
European Convention on Human Rights
Beyond Brexit itself, Rupert Lowe advocates for withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if it prevents Britain from implementing its chosen policies, particularly on immigration and deportation. He argues that the ECHR, interpreted by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, has become a barrier to effective border control and has prevented legitimate deportations of criminals and illegal migrants. Lowe frames ECHR withdrawal as completing the unfinished business of Brexit: regaining full control not just over trade and fishing but over fundamental questions of law and human rights. Critics argue that leaving the ECHR would damage Britain's international reputation and remove important protections for British citizens. Lowe dismisses these concerns, arguing that Britain had a strong tradition of liberty long before the ECHR existed and that Parliament should be the ultimate guardian of rights, not foreign judges. This position places him among the most radical Brexit advocates in mainstream British politics.