4 hours ago
7
Sam Francis
Political reporter
Former Reform MP Rupert Lowe is being investigated by Parliament's standards commissioner.
The BBC understands it is for allegedly failing to register money raised in donations to fund his independent "Rape Gang Inquiry".
More than £600,000 has been donated to a Crowdfunder started by Lowe in March to support a national inquiry into gang-based sexual exploitation across the UK. So far, Lowe has not declared any of the money on his MPs' register.
In a statement, Lowe said he only received the donations on 23 June, giving him until 21 July to register them, and he had "demonstrated to the Commissioner" all rules have been followed.
Posting on his X account, Lowe said: "All required registrations have been made, or will be made, in accordance with the rules of the House, including as to timing.
"The rules require registration of donations within 28 days of receipt: the donations were received on 23rd June by the Rape Gang Inquiry.
"I have not breached that requirement, as I have demonstrated to the Commissioner."
Lowe started the project before the PM announced a government-backed national inquiry into grooming gangs last month. He has since said his investigation will continue regardless. Lowe has been approached for comment.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has confirmed they are investigating whether Lowe breached parliamentary rules on declaring donations within the 28-days - as set out in the MPs' Code of Conduct.
The Commissioner has not publicly commented on the subject of its investigation but the BBC understands it is related to the Crowdfunder.
Under parliamentary rules, MPs must declare any donation from a single source over £1,500 - or over £300 in earnings or gifts.
Lowe's Crowdfunder includes a statement that donors giving above the parliamentary limit will have their names published in the Commons register.
Most of the £600,000 came in small sums - but records show over a dozen donations exceeded £1,500, none of which have appeared in Lowe's register of financial interests.
The BBC has been shown bank statements that appear to show money from the Crowdfunder was received by the Rape Gang Inquiry on 23 June, which would need to be declared by 21 July.
In a statement the Rape Gang Inquiry said: "The first donations were drawn from our Crowdfunder and arrived in the Rape Gang Inquiry bank account on June 23rd - Rupert had been funding the inquiry until then.
"All appropriate checks have been made for Rupert's parliamentary declaration. He has 28 days from the money arriving in the account, which was on June 23rd, until the submission has to be complete - although this has almost entirely been finished already.
"Once the inquiry is complete, spending will be published in the interests of full transparency."
Lowe was elected as a Reform UK MP for Great Yarmouth in 2024 but was suspended by the party in March, amid claims of threats towards the party's chairman, Zia Yusuf.
In May, the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to press charges over threats he was alleged to have made. Lowe claimed in a BBC Newsnight interview that he had been the victim of a "political assassination attempt".
Not long after his suspension from Reform, Lowe set up his Crowdfunder - accusing ministers of failing victims and saying: "Our gutless political class is too cowardly to even start to process what has truly happened."
Lowe's Rape Gang Inquiry has set up a board, including Conservative MP Esther McVey.
According to the inquiries social media page it has sent "hundreds and hundreds of FOI requests to every local council, police force, NHS trust and more in order to uncover vital information relating to the rape gangs".
Lowe has promised to stream hearings online and insisted his private investigation will continue to push for accountability.
