Reform Great Yarmouth MP charity donations criticised

Rupert Lowe, Great Yarmouth MP, has hit back at his critics after an anonymous Labour MP claimed the multi-millionaire is putting unfair pressure on them to give up their own £91,346 annual pay.

The row, which also involves a Tory calling him a "part-timer", has been dismissed as "cowardice" by the businessman himself and he has denied that his actions are pushing others to do the same.

Rupert Lowe, Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, has called the criticism ludicrous (Image: Rupert Lowe)

Mr Lowe promised to donate his monthly salary to local causes during his election campaign.

Following his success in July, he has donated about £4,000 to Great Yarmouth Football Club and to Hemsby Lifeboat.

But the move has not gone down well with other local MPs, according to the Financial Times.

The newspaper quoted an anonymous Labour MP - who is said was "local" - saying: "It’s all very well for him to do this, but of course, there are some people who think MPs shouldn’t be paid and that we should do the same.” 

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An unnamed Conservative MP also told the paper that Mr Lowe was a “part-time MP” who could afford to give up his salary. “He’s a multi-millionaire and he’s not really an MP in the way that most of us are.”

Mr Lowe, who is named as the director of four companies and has shareholdings in at least 19 businesses according to his register of interests, called the comments "ludicrous."

His net worth is estimated to be £30m, according to Company Check.

In a post on X/Twitter, he said: "I donate my entire net MP salary to Great Yarmouth charities, I put no pressure on other MPs to do the same. If other local MPs don't like it, tough... We've got them rattled. Anonymous quotes? What a coward!"

Mr Lowe says his next donation will be to a local charity that provides support to pensioners in Great Yarmouth.