The Reform vs Restore battle is becoming more than an avatar of the personal dispute between Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe. As both ambitions in both camps soar, the troops are getting involved, as anyone on X will have noticed this week…
Much of the tension revolves around the Tory past of Reform Shadow Chancellor Robert Jenrick. Former Tories are not always finding the brave new world to be smooth sailing…
In an example of one hot tempered post, Restore influencer Charlie Downes fired at Reform’s Jack Anderton:
I hope they’re paying you good money for this, Jack.
Jenrick is a traitor and you know it. pic.twitter.com/GZWDdO9qAY
— Charlie Downes (@cfdownes_) February 19, 2026
Now sources have shown Guido evidence that Downes himself once applied to join Jenrick’s team, keen to assist the man that many in Restore now accuse of high immigration politics. He also applied to join the press team last year, and was rejected. The outbreak of hostilities includes further claims that Restore staffers are “using Rupert Lowe’s money to throw a tantrum”. For Lowe’s part, he continues to make his scepticism of Farage’s path very clear…
There is intrigue on the Tory side too. Party sources point wearily at Restore Britain’s policy paper on ‘mass deportations,’ whose acknowledgements section includes a thank you to one of Katie Lam’s current staffers formerly shared with Team Jenrick. The same sources say Bidwell’s positions on the ECHR are closely reflected in Rupert Lowe’s policy as written there.
The question is whether all the online chatter will have any real-world electoral effects. Reform remain fully confident that Restore are simply not on the pitch…
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